Once Upon A Time
by Blue-Eyed AngelGirl
Summary: Just a little thing that I'll be working on, I try and update consistently and all critisism (with good interest) is welcome!
1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note: This is the third time I've rewritten this story! My stupid laptop reloaded to the search page and I lost... everything - twice. Oh well, I'm over it... sort of :)**

**Once Upon A Time**

**Chapter 01**

_**Mystic Falls - 1862 (Gabrielle's P.O.V)**_

"Come on guys! This is our last real day together, let's make the most of it." Damon and Stefan groaned, we were sat out on the porch looking into the bright sunlight, I was 19 years old and tomorrow was the day my arranged marriage would become a reality with one of the Lockwood's. Damon was my stubborn 17 year old brother who was known to flit from maid to maid every week, but he was so incredibly handsome so his reputation was long since forgotten. Stefan was Damon's opposite; my youngest brother at 15 years old with lighter hair and rich green eyes, caring and there for anyone. Damon and I were, unfortunately, arrogant and spiteful, mean and narcissistic but when it came down to family, we would die for one another. No one had said this out loud but we all knew this.

Our father called us from the doorway, "Come on, children, I'd like a word with you all." Damon and I shared a pained expression, while Stefan just called out back to him for us.

"Coming, Father." Damon and I groaned, whilst Stefan gave us a warning look.

"Saint Stefan." I muttered sarcastically and Damon nodded, we got up and walked into the house, I smothered down the plain white morning dress I was wearing and ran my hair through my long golden curls, I couldn't remember much of Mother, she died when she gave birth to Stefan but everyone in our town has said that I look exactly like my mother, Florence Salvatore. When we were sat with Father around his favorite chair our Father cleared his throat and prepared to speak.

"As you three know, Gabrielle's big day is tomorrow, and the Lockwood's are hosting a ball tonight at their manor in honor of the wedding." I caught Damon's eye and he sent me a pitiful look, we had spoken many times on how I didn't want to go into this arranged marriage, but Father had told me countless times in private that we need to as the Salvatore's financial needs had grown and we needed to secure our family's name, I had of course had no choice in the matter and Father was just telling me what my life was going to be. I returned Damon's look with a grimace and we shuddered simultaneously.

"But, I know the trouble you three get up to, so I want you all to follow certain rules." At this Damon and I immediately groaned but Father held up his hand and we quietened down.

"Now, the first rule: If I see any of you embarrass me by drinking too much or publicly disgracing yourself I can assure you that I will punish each of you." We all winced at that and I winked at Damon when his face fell at the drinking rule, he scowled and chuckled but turned it into a cough when Father looked down at me.

"The second rule: No one leave the ball unless you have my permission to do so." We all shrugged at this; that seemed easy enough to follow.

"The last rule: No fighting with the Lockwood's, Damon and Stefan I aim this particularly at you. I know you and George Lockwood don't see eye to eye," Damon and Stefan glared at the marble floor "But Gabrielle is marrying his brother, Thomas. So you must learn to be nice and polite to them." We all looked at eachother when Father walked away, and I couldn't help but crack a smile.

"Yes boy's, no fighting with the Lockwood's or drinking too much, oh and don't forget-."

"Gabrielle!" A sharp warning from the library silenced me almost immediately and my brothers snickered at me, I glared and stuck my tongue out. We remained on the marble steps until a maid came and took me away to personally help me get ready for the ball, I was shocked: I only ever remember Mother needing help with her expensive dress or elaborate hair style or elegant make up that the maids had to do. I gave them a sad smile as I realized that we had all grown up and begun to become distanced with each other. I met Stefan's eyes and he gave me a small half smile, then I saw Damon wink at me and I grinned at him.

My two maids had been fairly close to me as they had tutored and dressed me since I was a small child, Maggie and Tessa helped me take my simple morning white dress off and I saw Tessa walk to my elegant cherry wood dressing table and pick up my hair brush and comb, Whilst Maggie walked through to the adjourning room where my washroom was. I heard the familiar sound or water running into my bath tub and I thanked them both.

"Nonsense, Gabrielle. It's our job so we don't really need thanks, but you are too kind all the same, just like your Mother was." Tessa smiled at me and I smiled back.

As soon as my bath was run I quickly scrubbed myself clean and used a quick five minutes to indulge in the soothing warm waters. Then Maggie walked up with a towel and I quickly stepped out of the tub and wrapped myself in it. after that I was be instructed to sit at my dressing table as my two maids styled my long blonde hair and applied make up to my face. Whilst Maggie was finishing on my hair Tessa had gone to retrieve my dress, I was bubbling with excitement as to what it would look like and twice Maggie had told me to sit till, although I caught her eye in the mirror and she smiled at me and I grinned back. Tessa entered the room carrying an eggshell white box tied with a beautifully simple dark navy ribbon I clapped my hands and actually squealed, as did my two friends.

Maggie untied the ribbon and opened the lid and Tessa pulled out a beautiful french styled dress, it was deep navy in color to match the rich color of the ribbon the box was tied with, it was a corset style that was tied up with fine white ribbon, I had to struggle not to cry at the beauty of it all and laughed at the gorgeous white ankle boots that matched the lace on the dress and the criss-cross ribbon ties. I let Maggie take my towel and hang it to dry outside in the sun, and Tessa help me into my fairytale dress and slip on my perfect shoes, on the way out of my room I got to admire how beautiful I looked from the simple yet elegant way Maggie had pinned part of my hair up with sparkling blue gems, and had left the rest of my hair to flow down like molten gold to my waist. I hugged them both and went downstairs to where the rest of my family were surely waiting.

_**Later that evening (Damon's P.O.V) **_

Stefan, Father and I were each dressed in sharp tuxedo-like suits, but each of us had a different dinner jacket underneath, my Father had a white dinner jacket underneath and a white napkin in his top pocket, Stefan had the same except his color was the same rich green that matched his eyes, and I had the piercing ice blue to match my eyes. Even though Stefan was just 15 years old, he clearly had more self restraint than I ever will, as I kept joking around and moaning about my older sister's tartness. Although the pride that washed over me was of tsunami-like proportions; Gabrielle had been fitted with navy to match her dark blue eyes, and her light golden hair complimented the navy perfectly. I was left with one thought as I smiled at my sister as she descended the marble stairs: _'Thomas better treat her with the respect she deserves.' _

The evening had gone fairly well considering, a drunken Mary-Ann Fell had made a bee line for me as soon as I had stepped through the doors of the Lockwood manor, and try as I might I couldn't shake her off. I saw Gabrielle laugh at me and give me suggestive smirks, I rolled my eyes at her as Mary-Ann had started stroking the napkin on my top pocket, her perfume was so strong and I had always _loathed _the smell of lavenders. Eventually her glass had run empty of wine and I allowed myself to be swallowed by the crowd when she went to get a new one. I saw Stefan at the edge of the vast ballroom politely declining a town girl for a dance, I nodded to him and he walked over.

"Hey, Stef, having fun?"

"It's more crowded than I thought it would be, and some of these girls are..."

"I know, Stef, it doesn't get easier either." I chuckled under my breath when I saw Gabrielle being led out to the courtyard by Thomas and his brother George, they both had a tight grip on her arm and I had a bad feeling in the pit of my stomach. Stefan followed my gaze and nodded.

"I don't like the look of that..." Stefan muttered as he saw the two Lockwood's quicken their pace.

Stefan I followed quickly, keeping out of sight, I looked at my younger brother questioningly when they passed the far border of the courtyard, and into the dark forest that surrounded the manor. The Lockwood's stopped walking and had led our sister into a clearing, Stefan and I exchanged a look and quietly listened to them.

"Gabrielle you look like an angel tonight." I recognized Thomas's voice but frowned when George butted in.

"You look a little cold, though, Darling. Here drink this it'll warm you up." I sneaked a peek and saw George hand Gabrielle a very full glass of wine, I saw out of the corner of my eye my brother stiffen slightly and I turned to him and whispered to him.

"How much wine has she had already?"

"More than enough, she wouldn't be in her right mind if she had another." I saw his eyes turn steely in the moon light and looked back at my older sister.

"Thank you, but no, I couldn't possibly have another." I heard Gabrielle's slurred voice and I relaxed as she politely declined.

"Ahhh come on, love. Just one more drink?" George reached out and gently guided her wrist holding the glass in it towards her mouth, she giggled but shook her head.

"No, I've had too much already, although you look fairly parched, George why don't you finish it for me?" She held out the glass to him but Thomas came up behind her and gently stroked her back soothingly.

"Gabrielle, drink the wine for me, your fiancee." She looked up at Thomas uneasily, and I found myself shaking my head and raking my fingers against the dirt, I glanced over at Stefan and I saw his fists clenching and unclenching.

"Don't do it, Gabrielle, don't do it." I whispered over and over.

I heard Stefan sigh as Gabrielle raised the drink to her lips and drunk the wine, George smiled at his brother as the glass emptied and I shot a look at Stefan and his expression said it all; this had been planned by the Lockwood's from the start.

"Nice one, angel." George took the cup and threw it into the forest gloom without a second thought, Thomas laughed and winked at George. Thomas reached down and held Gabrielle's small arms.

"You seem a bit warmer now, don't you Gabrielle?" His finger traced a pattern up her left arm and she giggled and nodded.

"Why don't we help you out of this dress, sweetheart?" George piped up and started undoing the elegant knots on the back of her dress. Gabrielle didn't seem to notice and giggled as Thomas stroked her hair.

I looked at Stefan and he nodded once and we stood up and walked into the clearing. "Gabrielle! Father is looking for you." I called to my intoxicated older sister and she looked up and flung her arms out wide and laughed.

"Damon, St-Stefan." Gabrielle hiccuped and I rolled my eyes and walked over to her. Thomas narrowed his eyes at me and nodded once to his brother, and he let go of the ribbons that held her corset shut. I reached my older sister and pulled her into a hug, she hiccuped again and I beckoned Stefan over.

"I think you need a nice bath and a good sleep, Ri." We only use that nickname when we're serious, because Mother was the only one to call our sister Ri, it had become a sort of code for us. Gabrielle just nodded and stumbled towards the direction of the house, I heard her stumble and fall again.

"Damn." She growled and made no move to get up and reached out to Stefan, who was looking at his older sister in amazement I scoffed and turned to glare at the two Lockwood's.

"Stefan, be a dear and help me up." She gestured and Stefan sighed heavily and started towards Gabrielle, but was shortly over taken by the two Lockwood brothers, I watched as the roughly grabbed each arm and heaved her up.

"Oww, let go of me." She moaned and went to lay back down on the floor, but Thomas restrained my drunk sister, his hands were rough on her and he knew it, but didn't do anything to stop it.

"Let go of my sister, you're hurting her!" I shout at Thomas and I can see a sly grin even in the moonlight, he chuckled darkly and shoved Gabrielle to George, who didn't make it in time and I called her name when she hit the ground again. I was so angry at this pathetic, spoiled child and I stormed towards him, my brother rushed towards me and joined my side, I saw in his eyes that he was furious at watching the poor treatment our sister was just given.

"Don't you dare touch her," I whispered menacingly to George, who had reached down to pick her up again "Stefan and I saw what you were doing, George. She's not your personal doll to dress and undress whenever you please." I didn't have to raise my voice because the silent rage that laced it was evident, Thomas Lockwood reached into his jacket and pulled out a finely sharpened knife.

"I've waited a long time to do this, Salvatore."

I smirked and mockingly replied "Bring it on, Lockwood."

Out of the corner of my eye I saw Gabrielle struggle to her feet, she seemed to have sobered up quite a bit after taking the heavy fall, but she did till seem a little unbalanced. I heard her scream my name when Thomas rushed me, I instinctively knew that he hadn't properly trained in combat by the fact that he hesitated a lot, as if not sure which way to attack.

Suddenly Gabrielle jumped in between me and Thomas and Stefan sprinted to reach her, he tugged on her elbow and to try and get her away from the danger but she shook her head stubbornly. I knew Thomas wouldn't dare attack with his fiancee in the crossfire, I saw Thomas sigh in annoyance at Gabrielle and despite herself she smiled sweetly.

"Gabrielle, darling, move out the way so I can teach this boy a lesson." He glared at me but addressed my sister, she thought for a moment and shook her head.

"That _boy_ is my brother." Her tone was low and threatening and she held her head high and stood proudly in front of Stefan as well as me. I saw George gasp in disbelief and Thomas narrow his eyes.

"Why, you insolent little wretch!" He lunged and the knife plunged into my sister's belly, I cried her name as Thomas leaned her into the ground, Gabrielle was gasping for breath and in the light of the moon I saw deep red blood rush out of Gabrielle's stomach and seep onto the forest floor. Stefan roared and smacked Thomas across the jaw. Hard. Thomas raised his eyes and I saw that they were red rimmed like a maniac's, i stepped back a few paces and hoped Stefan would do the same. He didn't. Thomas leant back down and twisted the knife in Gabrielle's belly before ripping it from her, he moved his hand in a wide arc and slashed my brother across the stomach, he groaned and fell to his knees.

Thomas stared in disbelief at what he had done, and ran back up to the house with George, I ran to Stefan and Gabrielle and cried their names over and over.

"Damon." two voices said my name at once and I smiled and sent a thank you to the Almighty Lord, Stefan was holding his wound and keeping pressure on it, but Gabrielle wasn't going to be able to be moved for a hospital, let alone the manor house a mere stone's throw away. I clutched my sister's hand and she weakly wrapped her fingers around my palm, her hand was slick with her blood but I didn't mind.

"Y-y-you have to get Stefan help, I'll be here when you come back for me." Gabrielle rasped and looked at Stefan, his wound was severe, but it was one thing to get sliced, stabbed was quite another. I nodded at my sister and grabbed Stefan's spare arm and supported most of his weight as I sprinted as fast as I could to the Lockwood manor, I cast a quick glance back at my sister, who lay dying in the grass. Alone on a cold November night.


	2. Chapter 2

**Author's Note: Thank you for all those views! Also special thank you for Aiphira for being my first ever review on this story!**

**Once Upon A Time**

**Chapter 02**

_**Mystic Falls - 1862 (Damon's P.O.V) **_

I clung on to my brother's pale, sweaty hand around my shoulder as we ran back through the courtyard, which was brightly lit by golden candles. We burst through the door's and stumbled into the warm ballroom, the music died down and the dancer's gasped. My Father cut his way to the crowd and I set Stefan on the ground carefully, and my Father looked accusingly at me.

"What happened?" His voice was cold and carried authority.

"It was Thomas, he attacked me but Gabrielle and Stefan stepped between us..." I trailed off as a Lockwood handmaid came over to Stefan and began pressing a cloth to his wounds, whilst some men came forward and carried him away.

"Right, Damon follow me." Father pointed to a closed door but I shook my head.

"Thomas stabbed Gabrielle, she's out in the forest, we have to go to her, otherwise she'll not survive the night."

My Father's eyes widened and he nodded, I heard a few of the women gasp at the news, and I heard someone trying to cut through the crowd. "Excuse me, let me through, please." The crowd parted to reveal Thomas Lockwood's father. I had never met Benjamin Lockwood in person but I had heard my Father describe him as a one of the finest men he had ever had the pleasure to know. I saw Thomas and George behind him and I looked at them with one of the angriest glares I think I had ever given someone, George looked down at his feet but Thomas held my glare evenly, just another reason to hate him.

"We're wasting time, Father we need to help my sister." I nudged his elbow and he nodded, Benjamin stepped forward.

"Please, allow us to aid your daughter, my friend." Benjamin looked at Father and he nodded once, refusing to look at his sons behind him.

I led the way down the courtyard, I couldn't help but picture my sister being led down here less than an hour before. We reached the forest clearing and I called back to Father "This is where she was led out." I went to the left and gasped. I expected to see the worse of my sister, but the thing I saw was much worse, there was a dark pool of crimson where I last saw Gabrielle. She wasn't there anymore. I turned around, shocked.

"Sh-she's not here." I whispered, but it was so deathly quiet both Father and Benjamin heard me. Benjamin shook his head.

"I don't understand." Benjamin questioned, I stepped out of view so they could see the bloodied scene before them. Father looked at his childhood friend and Benjamin went ghostly pale.

"Where is she?" Father asked and I shrugged, and slowly walked towards the blood pool, something was sparkling in the moonlight and I stooped low and looked closely. My stomach lurched when I saw it was my sister's engagement ring, I blinked back tears and snatched the ring up. My Father gave me a single nod and I ran, as fast as my legs could, in the direction of our house.

_**Mystic Falls - Present Day (Damon's P.O.V)**_

I sighed as I threw down the black leather clad diary onto my desk, that was the last entry I had put for that year and I finished my glass of bourbon before picking up the book again and flicking to the last few entries, I read the first line of my spidery writing:

**_June 7th 1864 _**

**_A mysterious stranger came to our town today, she's the most beautiful girl I have ever layed eyes on. She came from Bulgaria but she was schooled in England, she said she used to have many brother's and sister's but her family tragically perished in their farm home from a fire. I know this: I'll never forget the day I met Miss Katherine Pierce. _**

I shook my head and laughed at the truth in the last words, and continued as I recounted my old life.

_**June 9th 1864 **_

_**I couldn't stop thinking about her, I had to leave the Confederate Army to see her again, I found Stefan entertaining her in our vast garden on the estate and I loved the look of amusement Stefan gave me when he saw me. Katherine seemed mildly surprised, but it seemed that nothing could faze this beautiful girl. She said that now she had both me and Stefan to entertain her whilst she stayed in town, and that she wanted to have one of us escort her to the Founder's Ball on the 11th. I was certain to make sure it would be me.**_

I heard Stefan come up the stairs and stand at my doorway, "You need something, little brother?" I asked without looking around.

"No, I'm just wondering why you haven't come downstairs at all today." His reply was even and I could feel his frown scorch my back, making my smile a little.

"What day is it?" I asked him as I poured another drink, emptying the bourbon bottle completely.

"It's November 18th, why is it important?" Stefan asked and I looked around shock painting my features.

"Have you completely forgotten about her?" I asked him, perplexed.

"About who?"He frowned and walked over to where I was sat, then his green eyes fell to the book. "Oh... Damon, she's gone, and I know you miss her. But you have to accept that she died that day..."

He trailed off when he eyed the look in my eyes and I stood up quickly, putting the book down and I stormed out the room. I heard Stefan sigh and the rustling of pages, I reached the bottom of the stairs and saw Elena standing awkwardly at the doorway "Why are you outside?" I asked her as she let the cold air in, she regarded me with wary doe eyes before replying.

"Stefan said that you seemed unstable today..." She looked me up and down, "Are you ok? You seem-."

"Handsome, Gorgeous... Sexy." I finished for her, winking as I started for the basement door.

"Where are you going, Damon?"

"I want a drink, unless you're up for giving me one." I snapped at her, which I knew was wrong but everyone was getting so annoying lately. Elena swallowed and glared at me and I gave her a grin.

"Stefan's upstairs, you can go on up," I stopped by the basement doorway "Oh, and if you hear a mysterious crunching noise, it's just Stefan munching on a little bunny neck." I smirked at her frown and I heard Stefan's call as he was going down the stairs.

"Stop it, Damon. Your scaring her."

"No, baby bro, your bunny munching is scaring her." I didn't wait for a reply and I walked down the stone steps and open the fridge where my stash was.

_**Stefan's P.O.V**_

I came back from a morning hunt, and folded my coat neatly over the sofa as I checked the time. The old clock on the wall that had been there since I was 7 years old, back in 1854. The time read 21.27 and I heard Damon upstairs, he had been up in his room all day, I gulped: the last thing we need is an unstable Damon. I quietly climbed the stairs and as I passed my room my phone beeped, I checked it and smiled as I saw it was Elena:

**Hey, can I come over? xo**

I smiled but frowned at Damon's direction, and quickly thumbed the phone and texted a quick reply:

**Sure, but don't come in the house, Damon's not doing well today. xo**

Her reply was almost instant:

**Ok, but what's wrong with him? I thought he was finally over Katherine? xo**

I replied and then shut the phone off:

**I'll tell you when you get here, but I just need to investigate. See you later. xo**

I reached Damon's doorway and looked at him, he was drinking an empty bottle of bourbon and sat at his desk, his back was towards me and he spoke with little emotion in his voice, but I had no doubt about the mocking tone "You need something, little brother?"

I stiffened and glared at him "No, I'm just wondering why you haven't come downstairs at all today." I replied a little angrily.

Damon sighed as if it was the most obvious thing in the world "What day is it?" He sighed, with his fingers tapping on the rim of his glass impatiently as he emptied the contents of the bottle into the glass.

"It's November 18th, why is it important?" I replied, getting increasingly confused the more the conversation continued. Damon set his glass down angrily and turned around, I saw the shock on his face.

"Have you completely forgotten about her?" Came his shocked reply, his startling blue eyes widening.

"About who?" I frowned at him and walked over to where he sat, I looked at the drink in his hand and then I saw the black leather-clad book with a silver D imprinted on the top left of it, the pages were opened at 1864, but on the top left page I read the year 1862 in the dark ink. "Oh... Damon, she's gone, and I know you miss her. But you have to accept that she died that day..." I stopped speaking when I saw anger flash in his eyes and he stood up from his chair, slammed his book down, downing his bourbon and throwing the book down. Then, with one last glare he stormed out the room and bounded down the stares, I sighed and shook my head and walked over to where the book had been carelessly thrown onto Damon's desk. I sat down and picked the book up and searched for the date, I found it, leaned back in the chair and began to read Damon's recount of that awful day.

_**18th November 186**__**2**_

_**This evening has been the worst. I just came home after the Lockwood party, when I was exiting the grounds I saw more people go out to look for Gabrielle, one of the handmaids told me that Stefan was with a doctor and he'd be alright. After I got home I just went upstairs into Gabrielle's room and I looked at her artwork, then I went and sat on the bench where she drew out her sketches in the sun. Father came home and told me Stefan had been taken by carriage to the local hospital. He then told me that after tonight it would be better for me to go away for a while, and that he would arrange for me to be taken to the local camp for the Confederate Army. I just agreed with him but now I'm writing it I don't think I should have: who's going to look after Stefan now? Father looked worried about Gabrielle's disappearance, I fear that he was only worried about the whereabouts of her body, I knew he didn't particularly like Gabrielle and I and I had suspicions that Father was only marrying her off for financial gain, not the happiness of his daughter. It's funny, the last I spoke to her was almost and hours and a half ago, and I miss her already.**_

I looked up from the page in shock, my hands were shaking in fear and my eyes were pricked with tears, I had no idea that Damon had been shooed away by Father. I put the book down and took deep breaths to stop my hands shaking, and I heard Damon downstairs talking to someone.

"...you ok? You seem-." I smiled despite the fact that tears still remained on my cheeks, she was the complete opposite of Katherine: kind, caring and compassionate.

"Handsome, Gorgeous...Sexy." Damon cut her off and I snorted: trust my narcissistic brother to grace himself with compliments. I heard his footsteps move through the living room, and Elena's fleeting reply from the doorway

"Where are you going, Damon?"

"I want a drink, unless your up for giving me one." I sighed as I heard Damon snap at her and I walked out of Damon's room and descended the stairs quickly. I heard Elena swallow and I quietly cursed my luck on having a volatile brother.

I heard Damon's footsteps pause at the doorway and call to Elena, his tone mocking. "Stefan's upstairs, you can go on up. Oh and if you hear a mysterious crunching noise, it's just Stefan munching on a little bunny neck."

I frowned at this and called out in objection "Stop it, Damon. You're scaring her."

"No, baby bro, your bunny munching is scaring her." Damon called back with glee, and without any goodbye he walked down into the basement, I heard the creaking of the fridge door open where Damon's stash was kept. I saw Elena still stood in the doorway, and despite herself she was laughing quietly at Damon's mockery. I sighed and she heard me and gave me a smile that made my heart stop. She walked up to me and gave me a hug, I loved her hugs, her sweet perfume entered my nostrils and I smiled and inhaled.

"Hey."

"Hey, sorry about Damon, this isn't his best day..."

"Why?"

"It's just... nothing." I sighed: how could I tell her that I had an older sister? She would definitely freak out.

"Umm... ok great." She was sarcastic and scoffed as she ended the hug and stepped away.

"I'd love to tell you it's just-."

"Just what?" She cut me off angrily and I heard Damon wander into the room, his eyes on us interestedly and a smile on his face.

"Yeah, Stef. What is it?" He echoed and grinned at me.

I sighed and Elena shook her head "You tell me that you're an over 100 year old vampire and you died trying to save the supposedly love of your life, who happens to look exactly like me. But you won't tell me why Damon is having an _off_ day today?" Her shouts went around the house and I opened my mouth and closed it. She scoffed again and stormed out the room "Forget it."

"Elena, it's not as simple as that!"

"Whatever, Stefan I'm not in the mood."

Her car sped off and I shook my head, Damon heaved a huge sigh and came up behind me to put a hand on my shoulder, "Woman, you can't predict what they'll do, huh Stef?"

I shook his hand off and glared at him, "Shut up, Damon!" I shout at him and Damon just shrugged and turned away. The silence settled and Damon jumped up, like he'd been struck.

"I'm going out!" He said and picked up his jacket.

"Where?" I asked, shocked at his sudden excitement.

"I need to see something." He shrugged on his coat and without another word he walked out the door. I looked at where I'd last seen him and shook my head and went out after him.

_**Damon's P.O.V**_

I can't believe I had almost forgotten, I needed to visit the clearing off the Lockwood estate. I was still completely angry that Stefan had forgotten this day, I was starting to think that he had purged all memory of our sister. I shook my head and made my way over to The Grill, I stepped inside and saw Matt, Tyler, Jeremy, Caroline and Bonnie all sitting at the corner of the bar, deep in discussion, I walked over and got to the bar. A young girl with short brunette hair and a little too much eyeliner asked me what I wanted and I compelled her to hand me a bottle of bourbon, she nodded and went away with glassy eyes. Matt was watching me and he called over the buzz of conversation.

"I hope you're gonna pay for that!"

I smiled at him and he sighed, the girl came back and handed it to me, I thanked her and she went away. I picked it up and made my way over to the Merry Band Of Misfits, smiling to myself at the nickname. I looked at how serious their faces were and I heaved a fake sigh and smiled at them.

"I see everyone took their happy pills this morning." I joked, everyone looked at me and I shrugged, the kiddies didn't appreciate humor, got it.

"We wouldn't talk to you unless we had to," Bonnie glared at me and I shrug it off, I didn't have much time for this witch "Someone came in to The Grill earlier, a vampire."

"Right, well that's not enough." I turned around and but Caroline put a hand on my arm.

"No! She didn't tell you all of it, this vampire was asking about the Boarding House,"

"And?"

"Well, she was asking if a guy called Zach lived there."

I looked at them for a moment before unscrewing the bourbon bottle and taking a swig before replying. "I killed Zach within the first two weeks of my arrival. What does this vampire have to do with him?"

"Uhh Caroline, you missed out the bit about the girl being _smokin' _hot." Tyler muttered and Jeremy burst out laughing, and Matt grinned, I glared at Tyler.

"Well then, little Lockwood, you can count on her not being interested in you." I smiled at him and this time the whole group laughed, I smiled and Jeremy was the first to stop.

"No, seriously, we told her that you and Stefan lived there, and she sort of gasped. Then Elena turned up on her way over to see Stefan to see Caroline about some shopping date, when the girl saw Elena she totally freaked and hurried out." Jeremy explained and the other's nodded, Matt struggled to keep the smile of his face whilst Tyler was shaking his head and muttering to himself.

"_So _hot, Man. You shoulda seen this chick, she was tall, blonde, wearing sunglasses and that smile, dude..."

My head snapped to him, it couldn't be. "What was her name?" I asked him, whilst I grabbed his shoulders and shook him. He glared at me whilst the others protested.

"Damon, let him go, gosh." Caroline said from behind me and Bonnie tapped my shoulder.

"She didn't give a name, Damon. Stop being such an idiot. Do you know her?" Bonnie asked me, her eyes full of hostility. I let Tyler go and Matt steadied him, I looked at Bonnie and took another sip of bourbon.

"I might have, I don't know until I know her damn name!" I pointed at Jeremy, "You! With me." Jeremy nodded and followed.

"I'm coming, too!" Caroline exclaimed.

"Me too!" Bonnie grabbed her purse.

"And me." Matt let go of Tyler and I looked at him.

"You have work, don't you?" I asked him, picking up the bottle of bourbon and pushing Jeremy towards the door.

"My shift ended around the time that walked in." He answered and I shrugged.

"You coming, Ty?" Matt turned to his friends whilst the rest of us walked towards the door, I looked back at the Lockwood and was once again reminded by how much he looked like Thomas Lockwood back in the 1860's. I thought it was already unfair by the fact of a Katherine look-alike and now a face of the guy who all but murdered my sister?

"Yeah I'll come, that girl was hot and you could tell she wanted my number." He smirked and Matt shook his head.

"She's way outta your league, man." I heard Matt argue and I sighed and walked out of the bar and pointed to the passenger seat of my car for Jeremy, he nodded and got in. I led the convoy of cars as we drove towards my house, I couldn't help hoping that it was her, I knew that I shouldn't fool myself into believing such things, but a part of me had this feeling...

**Author's Note: Cliffhanger! Sorry guys, but I'm mean like that :) I'm gonna start writing the next chapter immediately so keep reviewing! **

**Blue-Eyed AngelGirl **


	3. Chapter 3

**Author's Note: So, I haven't got much to say on this one; I'm just gonna start writing down words...**

**Once Upon A Time**

**Chapter 03**

_**Gabrielle's P.O.V**_

My heels click-clacked up the stone steps and I stopped at the huge oak door of the house and I faltered. I haven't seen this door since 1862, I doubted anyone would actually be living here, if the girl at The Grill had said that she didn't know who Zach even was made me think that he may be dead or out of town, I hoped it would be the latter. I pushed open the door and took a step, I gasped when I hit the all too familiar wall, my hands pressed up against the invisible sheen and I groaned and called out into the house,

"Hello? Zach! Are you in there?" When there was no answering call I groaned, throwing my bags down onto the stone steps and putting my head in my hands, I felt my tousled blonde hair roll off my shoulders and curtain my face. After a moment of wallowing in self pity I picked up my bags and strode over to my car, it was a nice car but I didn't really pay attention to the stares I got along with it, I used it for driving. Nothing else. I sighed and turned on the ignition, the car roared into life and, after I reapplied my lip gloss, I drove down the long gravel driveway, wondering whether the cute blonde guy from the bar earlier would let me stay the night at his place. As I turned into the town center a series of cars passed me and I groaned as I recognized the group from the bar earlier driving in the opposite direction, I ignored the faces in the other vehicles and I sped onward, hoping that not all the group had left the bar.

I walked into the bar, my sunglasses still on and a pout fixed on my lips, I smiled when a quick survey of the bar revealed the two boys from earlier, my hearing picked up their conversation over the gentle buzz of conversation:

"Ty, come on we need to get you home. You are the reason I'm here right now." I heard the blonde try and pry his friend away from the shot glass, but his dark haired friend shook his head.

"No, Matty. I wanna stay." He slurred on the word stay whilst the blonde boy frowned at him.

"Don't call me Matty. Ever, man." I grinned as I heard this and I strode through the room and reached them, the blonde boy's mouth dropped as he saw me and I gave him a smile.

"Hi again, sorry about me leaving so quickly earlier. It was so rude of me I apologize." I gave them an apologetic smiled and the boys just gawked at me, the dark haired boy shook his head.

"I will only accept your apology, if you agree to stay and have a drink with me and my friend." He gave me a sly grin and I smiled at him, trying to ignore how much he looked like Thomas Lockwood, I guessed that this boy here was indeed from the same family name. Nevertheless I gave him a coy grin and nodded.

"I'll stay then."

"Great, I'm Tyler by the way, this is my friend Matt." He pointed to the blonde haired boy as he ordered drinks from the bartender.

"I'm Gabrielle, I just came into town but my friend won't let me stay, his mom thinks we're gonna... you know." I lied smoothly and winked at him, he just nodded.

"Well if you're looking for a place to crash, you're welcome round mine tonight." He offered and I clapped my hands and took my sunglasses off.

"Really? Thank you so much!" I widened my eyes and grinned at him, he smiled back.

"It's my pleasure, honestly." Tyler had turned back with three drinks and he set them down and looked at the two of us.

"Well, this round is on me, guys. Drink up please." He smiled and winked at me as he threw his head back and gulped down his shot, I raised my eyebrows at him and drank my shot just as quick as he did. Matt shook his head at us.

"Seems like I'm the only responsible one around here." He sighed but drank his shot all the same, I laughed and called the bartender over.

"Can we have three more, please?" His eyes narrowed as he raked his gaze over the three of us and nodded.

"Ok," he grabbed the glasses and filled them "But this is the last drink you kid's are having tonight, then I want you all out of here." I looked at his serious look and I nodded, deciding that I'd rather spend my night on Matt's couch than a police cell.

"Thank you." I took the shot glasses and headed over to the two boys, we drank them and I shook my head and laughed at how drunk Tyler was becoming.

"So, where did all your friends go?" I asked them innocently, Matt shrugged but Tyler pointed a drunken finger at me.

"They left after you! Damon came in and we told him 'bout you, and then he leaves! Taking the others with him." My eyes widened at the name and I struggled to keep the surprise from my voice, ignoring Matt's warning stare at Tyler.

"Damon? That's an old name isn't it?" I inquired carefully, I heard a thump under the table and Tyler winced but smiled thinly, I guess they didn't want to tell me too much yet. I sighed, I guess this was why I used compulsion.

"Yeah," Matt answered before I could compel them and I looked at him as he continued speaking "Damon's just a brother of a friend of ours, he's kind of a dick. But don't pay much attention to what he says, he's a strange guy." I nodded in understanding and I heard the bartender call over to us.

"Ok kids, I want you out now. If Sheriff Forbes comes in here and see's that I've been serving, we'll all be spending a night in the cells." I nodded at him whilst Matt called back to him.

"Sure, Tony. And thanks for the drinks." He answered, the man called Tony gave him a sideways grin and turned away. Matt put Tyler's arm over his shoulder and helped him to the door, whilst I grabbed my bag and followed close behind.

"So," Tyler said as we reached the cool night air outside "Where shall we take the party?" He grinned at us but I gave him a sad smile and shook my head.

"I had a long drive to get here today, so I think I'm gonna call it a night." Tyler shrugged and looked at Matt.

"Matty? You coming?" He grinned at Matt's frown but Matt shook his head.

"Sorry, man. Gabrielle's crashing at mine tonight, so I better walk her home." Tyler sighed and made a whistle and nudged Matt's arm.

"Oh, I see. Nice pull, man." He winked at his friend whilst looking me up and down, I narrowed my eyes slightly but Tyler didn't notice. We called a cab for Tyler and then I walked to my car and got my bag of clothes and toiletries. Matt gawked at my car and I smiled to myself when I got my bags from the boot.

"How did you get this car?" He asked me as soon as I locked the car and we were walking down the street.

"I got a friend discount, and I guess I'm just special." I giggled and winked at him, he laughed along with me as we made our way through the town. We reached Matt's house and he fumbled with the lock, but managed to push the key into the door and I cheered. I paused when he stepped inside, whilst I waited on the other side of the doorway like an idiot to wait for him to let me in.

"Why are you standing outside?" He laughed and I shrugged my shoulders and smiled coyly at him.

"I guess I was just bought up to be polite, I guess; not eating with my mouth open, don't speak over others, wait to be invited inside someone's house." I looked pointedly at him and he looked at me for a minute before nodding.

"I guess that makes sense, come on in then." He waved me in and I smiled as my heel stepped over the threshold, I thanked him and took off my leather jacket, it was a deep red that went with my light hair fabulously and I smiled down at myself as Matt blushed in the corner of my eye. He went to the kitchen and I heard him filling up something.

"You want coffee?" He called and I shook my head.

"Yes please. "

"It's fine, two coffee's coming up."

I moved my bags under the coffee table and folded my jacket neatly on top, then I sat politely on the couch as I waited for Matt to bring in the coffee. My mouth broke into a delicate smile as he came into the living room with two steaming cups.

"Thanks, Matt." I sighed and he grinned.

"It's my pleasure, really." I put the cup down, waiting for it to cool as Matt sat down next to me.

"So, I hear there's an old boarding house up the road from here."

"Yeah, it's owned by this wealthy family, uh Salvatore is their name."

"Oh, really?"

"Yeah, it's really weird, two brother's live there without any parents or anything, Damon and Stefan Salvatore." I gasped quietly to myself, clearing my throat to hide my awkwardness and I took a sip from my coffee, as soon as the liquid hit my mouth I choked and retched. _Vervain_.

I landed on the floor and I glimpsed Matt sprint to the kitchen, he came back with a syringe of clear liquid and he knelt down next to my. "I'm sorry." He stabbed it through my arm and I fell into darkness.

**_Damon's P.O.V_**

It was around 23.45 when my phone made a beep, telling me I had a text. I sighed and lazily read the screen:

**The vampire is in my living room, I offered her a place to stay.**

**-Matt**

I scoffed: surely the vampire would have better taste? I sent the football player a quick reply as Stefan walked in:

**Me and Stefan are on our way, offer her a drink and vervain her, we'll do the rest.**

**-Damon**

"What are you doing, Damon?" Stefan asked as I locked my phone, I picked up his coat and threw it to him.

"Put your coat on, we have a little pest problem in the local neighborhood." He raised his eyebrows at me questioningly but he put his coat on all the same.

"There's a vampire in town?"

"Yes, Stefan. Be a dear and do try and keep up." I adopted a sarcastic tone and rolled my eyes as I snatched up my keys and made my way to the door.

"But what if the vampire isn't dangerous?"

"Look, I told the quarterback to vervain her, all we need to do is pick her up, and ask her some questions. Then we can find out who it is and send her on her merry way." I unlocked my car and got in the driver's seat, sighing as I lovingly stroked the leather steering wheel. When Stefan got in I turned the key in the ignition and pushed my foot down on the accelerator, the car sped out of the driveway and into town.

We arrived at the quarterback's house in no time and we made our way through the small garden up to the house, when we reached the doorway I knocked on the door.

"Quarterback! We're here for a certain vampire!" I shouted whilst Stefan scoffed and shook his head, the door opened and Matt's blue eyes greeted us warily, he looked tired and drained.

"She's in the living room, her bag and coat are under the coffee table." Matt said quietly and I grinned at him as I walked through his doorway.

"Good going, quarterback. I'll give you a gold star tomorrow." He glared at me angrily.

"Dick." I heard him mutter and I laughed, Stefan sighed and I threw my arms up in exasperation.

"Chill out, guys I'm just kidding, you really think that I would give that idiot a gold star? You gotta be kidding me." Without waiting for an answer I walked into the living room and stopped. The girl that lay unconscious on the floor looked remarkably like...

"Stefan! Get in here!" I heard my brother groan and walked into the living room.

"Damon, it isn't hard to carry a girl. What do you want?" He sounded irritated and tired but I merely pointed at the figure and Stefan gasped and his green eyes widened.

"It can't be." He sounded shocked and I nodded.

"For once, you're actually right. She died a long time ago."

Matt walked into the room and cast a guilty look at the girl before switching to a questioning look to us. "Did you know her?"

I laughed at him "Know her? That's our older sister, Gabrielle."

It was Matt's turn to look shocked "Your _sister_?" I nodded whilst Stefan slowly made his way over to her. He pulled back her hair and studied her face, she looked so angelic like this. Stefan sighed and picked up her bags and coat.

"Damon, can you grab her, please." He began his way back to the car, only stopping at Matt.

"Thank you for calling us, Matt. I know you could have called the sheriff and I'm thankful for that." Matt merely nodded, his mouth opening and closing, it reminded me of a startled goldfish and I couldn't help but smile as I made my way over to the unconscious body. The smile dropped as I studied her face, I knew it was her- no one was as beautiful as Gabrielle, well... apart from Elena of course. I stooped and carefully picked up my sister and I nodded once to Matt as we made our way back out the house.

"How is she even here right now? I saw her dying..." I trailed off after dying, and Stefan stiffened at the word, he looked back at me with his emerald eyes shining.

"I don't know, but I'm glad she is alive. I get to thank her for giving up her life to save me." He helped me carefully place Gabrielle over the back seats and then we quickly got in the front, I pulled out onto the road slowly then gunned the engine, smiling as the engine roared in appreciation and shot up the road towards the Salvatore Boarding House. The car lolled to a lazy stop near the house and we exited the vehicle silently, Stefan retrieved her bags from the boot and left me to pick her up, she stirred as my hands neared her and I zipped round the car to the glove box, Gabrielle was blinking groggily and sat up when I reached into the glove compartment, a light came on and revealed three shining vervain syringes Alaric had given me. I pulled on out and sped back to where my sister was.

"I'm sorry." I whispered as I stabbed it into her left shoulder, she fell back into my arms and I supported her steadily, her eyes closed once more and I cursed myself, I shouldn't have done that, I shouldn't have done that, I shouldn't have done that! I sighed and carried her to the door, Stefan was already in there and was pouring himself a bourbon, the bags at his feet.

"I'll have two of those." I half joked and he smiled and I grinned back halfheartedly, I stopped as I hit a wall on the threshold.

"God dammit!" I shouted and Stefan walked over.

"What?"

"Gabrielle hasn't been invited in. Get Elena, will you."

"She's at home."

"Well then bring her downstairs."

"No Damon, I mean she's at _home_. Her house."

I faltered.

"_Her house_?" I echoed._  
_

There was a brief silence before I exploded.

"What the _hell_ is she doing at her own house, we didn't just hand her over the house so she could go and sleep round her own!" I whispered angrily and Stefan flinched, I didn't need to ask him to ring her as he pulled out his phone and typed in a number, it started ringing and Stefan put it on loudspeaker, Elena picked it up on the fifth ring and I could hear her tired voice on the end of the line:

"Stefan? What do you want?"

"Hey Elena, uhh listen. Damon and I have a vampire and we need you to come over and invite her in, don't worry she's vervained."

Elena was silent for a few seconds, then you could hear shuffling, the tell-tale sound of Elena moving around the room.

"I'm coming, just stay there."

"Thank you, Elena." Stefan sighed in relief.

"I still haven't forgiven you for earlier by the way."

She hung up the phone and I laughed.

"Dude, y-y-you are s-s-o screwed." I chocked out between laughs and Stefan rolled his eyes at me.

"Grow up, Dick." I laughed harder and almost dropped Gabrielle in the process.

"Woah, that was close." I stopped laughing as her head grazed the wall of the porch and Stefan groaned.

"I wonder if she's changed at all..." He wondered to himself and I gave him a look as if to say: Are you completely brain dead?

"Well, let's hope not Stefan. You know 1862 was such a _fun_ time." I sarcastically said. Two beams of light hit the house and I turned to see Elena's car driving towards us. I smiled and gave her a cheery wave whilst Stefan stayed still, he was such a buzzkill, what Elena saw in him I had no idea.

She got out the car, I eyed her pajamas under the coat she was wearing and smiled gratefully at her, "Thank you for doing this, Elena-."

"Your welcome, Damon. But seriously, thank me in the morning, I'm so tired right now." She stepped inside the house and ignored Stefan.

"You can come in." She yawned and then made her way upstairs, I called up after her.

"Thanks!"

"Yeah, yeah." I heard her answer and then Stefan's bedroom door slam shut.

I walked into the house, sighing happily as Gabrielle joined me, I laid her on the sofa carefully, whilst Stefan looked on.

"Where should we put her?"

"Well," I said "She kinda woke up when you put her bags in the house, so I kinda, sorta vervained her."

"You did what?!" He shook his head and glared at me. "Now we have no telling what she'll do."

"So we'll put her in the cellar for the night, and talk to her in the morning. Elena will be safe, and she won't stake us while we sleep, it's a win win." I shrugged at him and he sighed irritably.

"Whatever, I'm going to bed." He walked up the stairs without another word and I scoffed: _stupid child _I thought to myself as I once again hoisted Gabrielle in my arms and carried her downstairs to the cellar.

After locking the door I walked upstairs and saw Stefan setting up some pillows on the sofa, "You're sleeping down here, Stef?" I asked incredulously, my brother nodded meekly.

"Elena locked me out of my room." He muttered and I laughed.

"Well, you enjoy the sofa, I'll be going upstairs to my comfy bed. Night." I walked up the stairs smiling and walked into my room, too tired to even get undressed so I slid under the covers and closed my eyes.

_**Gabrielle's P.O.V**_

I woke up with a groan on the cold, hard concrete floor, I sat up and remembered Matt giving me coffee. I shuddered at the sour after taste of vervain in my throat and I looked up: I had no idea where I was, or what time it was. I sped to the door and cursed as I saw the dead bolt on the other side, I angled myself so I could see through the bars of the door and I saw some stairs leading up to a door, a room was on the right just before you hit the stairs and I heard the low hum of a refrigerator.

"Hello? Matt?" I called out but there was no response, I sighed and walked back on the other side of the room and leant against it, sliding down into a sitting position and I studied my fingernails, I cursed as I saw the forefinger and thumb on my left hand had chipped. "Great." I muttered and started singing softly to myself, waiting for someone to come downstairs.

_**Stefan's P.O.V**_

I yawned and opened my eyes, I sat up groggily and surveyed the room, golden rays of sunlight was shining through the windows and I looked at the old grandfather clock, it read 06.50 and I stood up and made my way to the kitchen. I opened the fridge and pulled out a clear bottle with dark red liquid sloshing inside it, I drank it and gulped it down. Animal blood wasn't as good as human blood, but I'd rather be hurting the wildlife than people. I threw the empty bottle in the trash and heard someone call out.

"Hello? Matt?" It was a female voice, and I knew it wasn't Elena's tone, it must have been Gabrielle's. I quickly made my way up the stairs and I knocked on Damon's door. I heard shuffling and a crash and a curse, then the door opened and Damon's angry blue eyes grazed over me.

"Stefan," he sounded angry, really angry "Do you know what time it is?" I nodded.

"Gabrielle's awake, I was thinking that it's better for us to talk to her rather than Elena find her first? She could be really angry on being vervained, and if Elena wandered down there she could-."

"Yeah, yeah I get it. Let's go then." He yawned and nodded. We made our way down to the basement together and the voice called out again.

"I know you're there, if you let me out I promise I won't kill you." The voice was playful and coy, I shivered at how much Gabrielle and Damon were alike.

Damon grinned and called back "I doubt you'd be quick enough to kill the likes of me."

"What are you doing?" I whispered angrily and Damon sighed and stopped.

"I'm just kidding, Stef. Calm it down."

We resumed walking and the voice dropped to a talking level as we reached the door "Oh, I doubt you're quicker than me." I saw Gabrielle sitting cross legged against the back wall, she stretched and got up, her heels clacking against the concrete floor, she reached the door and put held the iron bars.

"Well," she said playfully "Isn't this a cute little reunion then?" She narrowed her eyes at us and Damon smoothly replied.

"Yep, that's us, all dead and back together. One nice little dysfunctional family." He popped the p on the yep and Gabrielle giggled playfully.

"Are you gonna let me out? Give your big sister a hug?"

I shook my head, "Not yet, we need to know why you're here." She glared at me and kicked the door with her heel. Hard.

"Listen, Stefan. I am hungry and bored," Her hand shot out and grabbed my throat and she banged my head against the door "And you are gonna let me out this instant before I hurt you again." She leaned in close and I felt her smile in her whisper "And I'm not even that bored yet." She giggled and let go, I fell to the floor and Damon helped me up.

"Are you _insane_?" Damon protested as I got to my feet, she shook her head and laughed.

"No, but I think you should let me out right about now." She pointed to the dead bolt with a long manicured finger, Damon's hand reached toward the latch but it stopped centimeter's away.

"Promise you won't run out?" He looked at Gabrielle and she rolled her eyes and nodded.

Damon undid the latch and the door creaked open, she stepped out and sighed "That's better, isn't it?" She looked at me with her dark blue eyes, "Sorry, Stef." Although she didn't exactly _look _sorry, I decided to keep my mouth shut and nodded. She smiled back at me and made her way towards the door, "So tell me," She said "How long have you two been the undead? You don't look much older, Damon. Stefan is _definitely _not the fifteen year old I remember," she cast a look back at me "You look good, Stef. Honest." I grinned at her and she laughed, whilst Damon scoffed.

"I see you're still the same, you can insult someone all day long, but one smile and they're back on your side." Damon rolled his eyes and she laughed.

"Well, I can't disagree with you there." She grinned and walked into the living room "It's bigger than I remember..." She muttered and I nodded.

"Zach renovated and extended it a little." I answered for her and she nodded then turned round.

"Where is Zach? I was coming over to see if he would let me stay a while." Damon and I shared an awkward look and she narrowed her blue eyes.

"What did you do?" Her voice was angry and threatening, it was a tone that promised violence.

"Stefan locked me in the cellar and I killed Zach. Basically." Damon said, his tone even and holding our big sister's look.

"You killed Zach?" Her voice was incredulous, then she laughed. "Good, he was boring anyway."

"Hey, don't be disrespectful." I chastened and Gabrielle shrugged, it was silent until she burst out laughing, Damon and I looked at her confusedly.

"I was just thinking, you haven't changed one bit. You're still Saint Stefan." She laughed and Damon chuckled too, I looked at them angrily and sighed.

"What is with all the laughing?" Elena came downstairs, Gabrielle froze at the voice and turned round. Elena came down the stairs and Gabrielle launched towards her.

"Katherine!" She screamed and slammed her against the wall, Elena cried out and Gabrielle's face transformed and dark veins spread out beneath her eyes, which were crimson and full of hate. I sped towards her and pulled Gabrielle off her, she struggled and I looked at Damon.

"Help me, why don't you?" I yelled and Damon nodded and together we pried our fighting sister off of Elena.

"Who is that?" She yelled as Damon held Gabrielle.

"This is Gabrielle, she's our sister."

"_Sister_?" She was shocked and I looked at Gabrielle, who was snarling and trying to get away from Damon.

"Get _off _me, Damon, I should _finish _her." She snarled and Damon sighed and slammed Gabrielle against the wall.

"That is _not_ Katherine!" He yelled in her face and Gabrielle stopped struggling.

"What? Then who the hell is that?" She pointed at Elena, and I Damon looked round.

"I'm Elena." She smiled sadly at Gabrielle and Gabrielle scoffed.

"You realize," She said "That you look _exactly _like someone who killed me."

I looked at her "Katherine killed you?" I asked her and she nodded, for a moment I thought I saw pain flash through her eyes, but it was gone as soon as it appeared.

"I'd love to stay and have story time with you all but I'm gonna go get a bite," She flashed a playful smile "And I mean that in every literal sense." Elena gulped and she laughed. "Oh don't worry, I have a little score to settle with a certain blonde guy." There was a whoosh and she was gone. Damon blinked and sighed.

"You might wanna tell Matt to take some vervain, today." He looked over at Elena, who was shaking a little, she looked at Damon and frowned.

"Why?"

"Well she turned up here but she couldn't get in, so she went to The Grill looking to see if someone could give her a couch for the night, and Matt must have still been there."

Elena scoffed and rolled her eyes "No offense but your sister sounds like someone who puts their self out quite a bit." I didn't say anything and walked out the room, I heard Stefan talk to her quietly.

"Damon and Gabrielle were really close, yesterday was the day that marked her murder. I wouldn't get on her bad side if I were you, she's very... volatile." Elena scoffed again.

"You think? Well, that explain's why Damon was so off yesterday." I heard her unlock her phone and check it.

"Bonnie's coming over, she's a little shaken up over the whole Alaric'Klaus possession death thing. I need to text Matt and tell him about the vervain thing."

Elena walked back upstairs and I returned into the room, Stefan was folding up the blanket he had used and I looked out the window "I didn't know Katherine was around in Mystic Falls by 1862." I muttered and Stefan nodded in agreement.

"I understand why Gabrielle attacked her, but she's just so... _mean_ now..." He trailed off and threw the blanket down with a thump, I shrugged and turned away from the view "I guess that's what happens when you're left to die in a woods alone. Do you think she's been alone all this time?"

"I don't really know, she might have only returned because she's bored, maybe she's looking for someone?"

"Us?"

"I think she'd have been happier to see us if it was us."

"Maybe, I think we should all go out tonight, hit the town, catch up and share stories." I playfully punched Stefan's arm and he smiled.

"I doubt she'd be up for that, but you never know... seeing Elena really scared her, Damon." He finished with a worried glance, I looked back at him and narrowed my eyes.

"She's obviously scared of Katherine." I told him and he nodded.

"Should we tell her that Katherine's still around?"

"I think she already know's."

"I doubt she know's that she in town." He looked over to me and I shrugged, "We should probably get dressed and check up on Matt, Gabrielle could seriously hurt him." I sighed and nodded.

"My schedule's free today, I guess instead of drinking whilst Alaric grades history papers on the bar I could go and save a quarterback's life, I mean - there's a first time for everything, right?"

Stefan gave me a look and ascended the stairs muttering to himself, I followed him and sighed as I entered my bedroom, I stopped at my writing desk and laughed at how sweet I had made Gabrielle out to be in my memory of her. She was all different now.

**_Gabrielle's P.O.V _**

I scolded myself when I forgot to pick up my coat as I went out the house, it was a cold early morning in Mystic Falls and I was shivering slightly as I walked through the town, people stared at my red suede heels and dark skinny jeans and tight top but I shrugged it off - if people stared it meant they were jealous. A police car passed me but stopped and called me over, the driver was a woman in her forties, with short blonde hair and a suspicious look. She eyed me as I walked over, a smile painted on my face.

"Hi there!" I greeted them cheerily.

"Hey, you know it's kinda strange for you to be walking around the town at 07.15, dear."

I shrugged and faked a look of confusion on my face. "Well I was actually looking for a friend's house, he starts work early and we were went out last night, but I guess at some point he gave me his wallet. I forgot to give it back and I thought I'd drop it off before he starts work in a bit."

The woman looked at me for the longest time, and I saw the sheriff badge on her uniform as she turned off the car engine. "And who is this friend of yours?" I faltered for a second before smoothly replying.

"Matt, he's blonde, about yay high, blue eyes and around my age." I gestured with my hands and the woman nodded.

"Matt Donovan lives on Corner street, that's about twenty yards that way and a left, his house is the third on the right. Got that, Honey?" I nodded and gave her a smile.

"Thank you!" She nodded and I walked off, following her directions until I reached a small house on the street, I recognized it from last night and I felt my eyes change as I thought about the betrayal of the vervain. I made my way through the tiny garden and knocked on the door.

"Matt! Are you in there?" I heard footsteps in the kitchen and smiled, I pushed the door open and walked through to the living room. I sat in the same position I was in on the couch last night and waited for Matt to enter. He walked in and gasped and I got up and smiled sweetly at him.

"Thank you _so _much for inviting me in last night, it was fun at The Grill, I had a great time." I narrowed my eyes and walked over to him, I heard the tantalizing sound of his heartbeat quicken and I struggled to keep my face from changing.

"Well, it was great until I had a little dose of vervain." I let my face change and Matt started shaking and backed away slowly, I smiled and let my fangs show, he raised his hands in defense.

"Look, Gabrielle. I wasn't going to hurt you, Damon told me-."

"Damon told you? If Damon told you to jump off a cliff would you do it? Because I think that you signed you're death sentence when you spiked the coffee." I let out a snarl and then there was a bang and I looked down, I felt pain in my stomach and I fell to my knees, my hand's covering the lower part of my stomach, when I drew them away they were covered with blood. I looked around and saw the sheriff approach me with her gun still drawn, I laughed and leapt up, going for her throat but she fired two more times, one bullet caught my shoulder and the other caught my leg. I fell again and groaned, the bullets must have been wooden because if they were lead the woman would be dead. I smiled at the little half rhyme I had made but groaned as the woman ran out to her car, I looked over at Matt, who was looking down at me shocked.

"You were gonna kill me?" He said in a surprised tone and I gave him a little smile.

"Fair's fair, you vervained me. That's what happens when you're left alone for all those years." I grimaced at the bullets and I heard a car door slam shut, I looked pleadingly at Matt.

"Stall her - she's gonna kill me and I don't wanna die! Call Damon and Stefan, please don't let her kill me." I cried and Matt looked at me uneasily, the sheriff came in holding a wooden stake and she eyed me warily as she approached me Matt had gone startlingly pale and just before the sheriff rammed the stake into me he held out a hand.

"Wait, you're just gonna kill her?" Matt asked the sheriff, she looked at him as if he had grown two heads.

"Matt when I came in here she was about to tear your throat out - literally. She's a monster, and I have to put her down." She looked down at me and I groaned painfully, the sheriff knelt down and looked me in the eye "I'm doing this for your soul." She whispered and despite everything I laughed, she looked at me confusedly and I gripped the edge of the couch and stood on shaky feet.

"My soul," The human's eyed me warily and I grinned "You were going to kill _me _and you were going to use that line? Please be more original, geez." I scoffed and the woman glared at me, she made to stab me in the chest but my hand snaked out and I grabbed her wrist in the nick of time, I cried out when the bullet in my shoulder grazed the tendon and I gritted my teeth as we battled over possession of the stake. My hand slipped and I gasped as momentum moved the woman's stake hand forwards but as a last ditch effort I kicked out with my right foot and my toe cruched against her forearm, this caused her arm to tilt downwards and the stake hit me just above my belly button, I screamed and staggered back against the wall.

"Y-you got a-anymore of t-those?" I joked and the woman glared at me and I choked out a raspy laugh, I heard a car pull up and a whooshing sound, I sighed as Damon and Stefan appeared beside me and I fell into Stefan's arms, "Great timing, guys. How very cliche of you." I feebly managed and Damon shook his head and looked down at me, his icy eyes shining with tears and a sad grin on his lips.

"You choose _now _to make a joke?" He laughed and then then smile faded into a straight line and he looked serious as he leaned down, his hand gripping the stake "This is gonna hurt." I nodded and closed my eyes as he wrenched the stake from my torso, I screamed, over my voice Stefan was saying soothing words to me and stroking my hair, Damon got to work on the bullets and I fell into unconsciousness.

**Author's Note: Woah that was some long writing! Some of that I did on a train on the way to Guildford today :) Please review and etc!**


	4. Chapter 4

**Author's Note:**** 306 views! Thank you so much!**

**Once Upon A Time**

**Chapter 04**

_**Damon's P.O.V**_

My fingers tapped on the steering wheel of my car as I waited for Stefan to get in the car, despite everything I knew that Elena would hate me if I knew that Gabrielle was going to kill Matt and I didn't do anything about it. As soon as Stefan was in the car I slammed my foot down and the car took off, we turned into the main part of Mystic Falls and I followed Stefan's directions to Matt's house, a cold washed through me as I saw the sheriff's car parked outside the house. I stopped and leaped out the car and Stefan followed, we rushed to the living room and stopped at the scene before us: Gabrielle was supporting herself against the wall, a stake was sticking out her torso and she'd been shot a few times, she fell and Stefan sped over and caught her in his arms she smiled up at us and opened her mouth.

"Great timing, guys. How very cliche of you." Her voice was weak but I detected the mocking undertone, I smiled as tears threatened to spill over my eyes.

"You choose _now _to make a joke?" I chuckled and then eyed the wood sticking out of her, my expression turned serious as I leaned down and grabbed hold of the stake, I looked up at her face "This is gonna hurt." My voice was sad and she just nodded and closed her eyes, I pulled the stake out as smoothly as possible but I knew it would hurt her all the same, my hands clenched as she screamed. Stefan was talking to her stroking her hair, he looked at me and then at the bullets, I made a face and braced her shoulder with one hand and ripped the wooden piece out with the other, I braced myself for the scream that I was sure would follow but it didn't follow, I looked up and saw that Gabrielle had fallen unconscious. I sighed and pulled the one out of her leg, and then the one from her torso.

"We need to get her outta here." I looked at my brother and he nodded grimly, I heard the sheriff make a noise that sounded like she was clearing her throat and I looked round.

"You're not taking that... _Monster_ anywhere Damon, I was about to put her down." The sheriff gripped her gun and pointed it at Gabrielle's limp form, I shook my head and sped over to her and slapped the gun away, it slid across to the kitchen and hit a cabinet.

"That so-called monster is my sister, she was just feeling a little violent after we had a little run in this morning... It's complicated." I finished quickly at the look of confusion that overtook the sheriff's features.

The sheriff's belt radio sounded and she sighed "Right, I have to be somewhere right now, if I hear about _any_ animal attacks, I'm gonna find her and I'm gonna kill her."

Stefan nodded "Thank you, sheriff Forbes." The sheriff nodded and walked into the kitchen, she grabbed her gun and walked out the room casting a worried glance at Gabrielle. Stefan handed me Gabrielle and Stefan turned to Matt, who was stood there with his head in his hands.

"Matt," He touched the quarterback's shoulder lightly and Matt slowly raised his head from his hands "Are you ok? Did she hurt you?"

Matt stared at Gabrielle's peaceful face as she slept, then he looked up at Stefan "I'm fine, it just sucks. This life that we live is just-."

"I've heard this all before," I moaned and looked at Stefan "I'll be in the car." I made sure I had Gabrielle properly and walked out of the house, I laid her in the backseat for the second time in less than twelve house, I checked her shoulder and her torso. The bullet wounds had healed but the stake had left an ugly open wound. I sighed and got in the front, waiting for Stefan to hurry up and leave, he was frowning at me as he exited the house, and I braced myself for the onslaught of whining that I was sure would come. Instead he was eerily quiet for the whole drive home, when we pulled up into our own driveway I turned to him.

"Ok, spill it."

"What?"

"Whenever something like this happens, you have one of your Stefan talks afterwards."

"Well, what can I say to her? _We thought you were dead and we greeted you with a vervain attack_? Damon, she's always been like this: lashing out after she's hurt. I guess when she was turned that all got heightened..." He trailed off and looked out the windscreen, then he unbuckled his seat belt and stepped out the car, I followed and we stood in the sunlight, I heard Elena talking to someone and inwardly sighed as I heard Bonnie.

"Witchy's here, I'll grab Gabrielle you go inside." Stefan's brow furrowed at my name calling but went inside all the same. I made my way around the car and opened the back doors, Gabrielle was still limp and I sighed. I took off her shoes and picked her up, when she was in an easy position to carry I grabbed her shoes and made my way into the house. Bonnie and Elena were in the sitting room and Stefan was stood by the fireplace, Bonnie and Elena gasped when they saw Gabrielle and Bonnie moved as I laid Gabrielle on the couch.

"Who is that?" Bonnie asked, her voice was laced with shock and disgust, she glared up at me. "Did you do this to this poor girl?" Bonnie raised her hand and there was I ringing and pain in my head, I cried out and fell to the floor.

"I didn't do this." I managed and I heard Stefan grab Bonnie's arms and she turned and glared at him, the bourbon on the side table smashed and caught fire, the liquid seeped on the carpet and I cried out again.

"Too many people have died, because of him. She's just another one to add to the tally." She pointed to the sofa and gasped, the pain stopped in my head and the flames abruptly snuffed out: Gabrielle was gone. I stood up and Stefan looked at me.

"Damn." We both said and Elena looked at us.

"What happened? Is Matt ok?" She asked, her head tilting confusedly and her doe eyes widening with concern.

"Matt hasn't been touched, the sheriff turned up and it got a little messy." Bonnie stiffened and Elena gasped Stefan started picking up the broken pieces of glass from the smashed bourbon and Bonnie looked at him apologetically.

"Sorry, Stefan."

"Oh no it's fine Bonnie, really."

"If you're sure..." She looked over to me "So who was the girl you bought in?" I shifted a little and explained.

"So, back when me and Stefan were humans we-."

"I think that _I _should be the one to explain _my _side of the story. Don't you think?" Gabrielle walked in, her makeup was redone and she was wearing new clothes and shoes that matched her blue skirt, I frowned at the shortness of the skirt but closed my mouth before I said anything to offend her. She sat down on the sofa and waited for Stefan to come back with a new bottle of bourbon. Bonnie went to sit next to Gabrielle but Elena grabbed her arm and shook her head, giving her a look, Gabrielle grinned as they sat in the seat furthest away from her. I walked towards the serving tray and poured two glasses of bourbon, then gave Gabrielle one as I sat next to her she tilted her head in thanks.

"Is everyone sitting comfortably?" She said mockingly as she took a sip of her drink "Then I'll begin. In 1862 I was nineteen years old and older sister to Damon, who was seventeen at the time, and Stefan: who was fifteen at the time. On February 4th my father told me that he had made the arrangements to be married to Thomas Lockwood, this was because our financial situation had dipped over last year and we needed to keep the manor house and Father didn't like to appear weak." Stefan grimaced at that and I nodded in agreement. "On November 18th the Lockwood's decided to throw me and Thomas an engagement party on their Estate, and it's funny because before we departed for the party Father told us three rules: don't get drunk, don't leave the house and no fighting, and between the three of us we managed to break all of those rules." Gabrielle giggled and took another sip of her drink, I sighed and Stefan shook her head, which made her laugh even more into her glass. "So we arrived at the party, we danced, we drank, we laughed it was all so much fun. Until after a dance George and Thomas Lockwood said that we should go outside and look at the stars, I stupidly agreed and was led away down the courtyard, past the gardens and into a clearing in the middle of the dark forest, it was even bigger back in 1862 as I'm sure you can imagine." She gestured with her hands and sighed wistfully "They told me to drink another drink, which I did and as you can imagine they started undoing the ties on my dress..." Elena gasped and Bonnie looked shocked and Gabrielle gave them a little shrug and leaned back into the sofa "But then, bless my dear brothers, they came to my rescue," I grimaced as I saw Elena and Bonnie visibly relax at my sister's words: they had no idea what was next in the story "I can't remember it all too well, but I think I was tossed around a lot, and then I remember Thomas producing a knife from his pocket and stand off against Damon, I couldn't see Damon die so I upped and jumped between them - my original thought was something along the lines off _'I'm his fiancee, he won't hurt me.'_" She held quotation marks and said the last bit in a sarcastic tone and I patted her back reassuringly, she smiled warmly at me and got up for another drink.

"So, what happened next?" Bonnie asked, craning her neck to see her, Gabrielle poured the bourbon into the glass, not stopping till the dark liquid reached halfway of the glass.

"What do you think happened? Thomas called me an insolent wretch, stabbed me and then turned on my dear baby brother. I remember Thomas stabbing me and laying me on the cold ground, and then Stefan was laying next to me and then I looked up and only Damon was there. I pushed Stefan towards him and I knew that this was my last few minutes, so I told Damon to save Stefan and that I'd still be here for when he cam back..." She drained the glass and sighed, Stefan looked up at her, his green eyes sad and brooding.

"Wait wait... then what happened? After Damon and Stefan left, because you're still here..." Elena trailed off and Gabrielle looked at her for a long time before answering.

"There was a young man, with dark hair and dark eyes. He spoke in a British kind of accent and said that everything was going to be fine and that his name was Kol, he asked for mine and I told him, I then remember he bit his wrist and I felt myself getting stronger. Then I stood up and went to thank him, and then he walked me out of the forest until we reached the road leading into town, he stood me next to a lamp post and said that if I waited there for twenty minutes, he would be back for me... Then I remember a dark carriage, it pulled up next to me and a woman opened the door and asked me who I was, I told her and then the girl she was with said that she was Katherine Pierce, she told me that no one could know that she was in town yet and I remember telling her that I wouldn't tell. But then she put her hands around my neck and then I remember my head being twisted and I died." Gabrielle finished with a sad smile.

"So, what happened to this Kol guy?" I asked her with a low voice, the mood had shifted from tense to somber and I didn't like it. Gabrielle looked at me for a moment before answering.

"Well you know, I waited by the lamp post after I woke up, until another carriage came up the road, it was some newly wed couple. I was so thirsty at this point, and it was dawn and my eyes were starting to hurt me. They thought I was sick so they carried me into the carriage until the woman screamed when she saw the blood on my dress, I remember she leaned in next to my ear and told me I was going to be fine. I couldn't stop myself after that, I killed them." Bonnie made a noise of disgust and Gabrielle frowned at her.

"Tell me," She pointed at Bonnie angrily and strode over to her "What would _you _have done in that situation?" Bonnie opened her mouth and closed it, Gabrielle smirked and nodded. "That's what I thought."

"Can we continue please?" Elena asked and Gabrielle nodded.

"I stepped out the carriage after looking through the girl's trunk and finding a new dress. But the sun was up and my skin was starting to burn, I told the carriage driver to turn around and take me away from Mystic Falls. He did and I got back in the carriage and he drove until the sun went down and I left."

"How long was it until you could walk in the sun, because that daylight bracelet looks old." I told her and Gabrielle nodded in agreement.

"I got this from a seriously old vampire, he gave it to me the night I turned."

"Ok, whatever." Bonnie scoffed and Gabrielle narrowed her eyes at her and I smirked, Stefan hit me and I stopped.

"Guys, we still have a big problem. The sacrifice is tonight and we have only one plan to stop Klaus: Elijah." Elena started but I cut her off.

"I wouldn't really trust Elijah at this point, Elena, he's an original. Also brother's with Klaus, chances are he's not gonna side against him." I told her and the room fell silent.

"Is it just me? Or am I missing something?" She asked with a grin "What are you guys doing with the Originals?" Gabrielle grinned and put her drink down and sat next to Stefan, he looked at her as she sat down.

"You know about the Originals?"

"I may have run into them once or twice, yes."

"Even Klaus?"

"Yeah, did he ever find Katherine?"

"He took her the other day, we think she may be dead."

"Good for him."

It was quiet for a few seconds.

"So, what deal did you make with Elijah?" She asked after everyone shifted at the silence.

"Elena was all sneaky and made a deal with him to protect her loved ones and kill Klaus." I responded whilst giving Elena a look, she glared back and I shrugged.

"What's so bad about that?" She shrugged and I happily told her.

"We might have daggered him for a certain length of time before Elena set him free again." Gabrielle's blue eyes widened as she absorbed this information.

"You daggered an Original? Where did you get the ash and dagger from?" She ran over and grabbed me, Stefan cried out but I stared her down and answered her evenly.

"John Gilbert, but we don't like him so who cares?"

"Who cares? Do you know how hard those daggers are to find?"

"What's it to you?" I managed to choke out as she pressed against my windpipe. She let go and I fell down, gasping a little for breath.

"It doesn't matter, forget I said it." She muttered then turned to Elena "You're one of those mystical doppelgangers right? You're still human, so that means Klaus has plans to use you in the weird creepy curse ritual, right?" Elena looked dumbfounded but nodded once, Gabrielle broke into a smile.

"Good, does anyone know how to contact Elijah? Tell him Gabrielle wants a little chat concerning his family."

She walked out the room and stopped at the foot of the stairs "My room's still the third on on the left, correct?" Stefan nodded and walked upstairs, there was a moment before a door slammed shut and Elena looked round.

"What a bitch!" She exclaimed and Bonnie nodded, Stefan looked at me and sighed.

"I guess we'll have to contact Elijah then." He said and I nodded.

"No need!" I heard a familiar voice from the hallway and I whirled, Elijah stood there in his usual suit and he smiled at us.

"I hope I'm not interrupting anything?"

"Not at all." I gave him a serious smile and he chuckled.

**_Gabrielle's P.O.V _**

I had the feeling of guilt as I walked up the stairs, I knew it was bad to lie to Stefan and Damon but they wouldn't understand.

_**Mystic Falls - 18 November 1862**_

I watched as Damon supported Stefan and ran back to the Estate, he cast a look at me and I gave him a smile, but he was gone. I lay counting the stars and groaned as I lost count, my vision was fuzzy around the edges when I heard a twig snap close to me, it took lots of my last remaining dregs of focus to turn my head towards the sound. I heard an odd strange whooshing noise and I felt hands pressing on my wound, pain surged across my torso and flashed through my mind, I cried out and the figure jumped. "Oh my, I thought you were dead, darling." A British accent drifted towards me and I strained my eyes to see the figures face. As if answering my prayer, a cloud drifted from over the moon and the pale glow shone down on us, revealing a young man, his hair was dark and his eyes were darker. He looked down at my wound and shook his head and tutted "Now what happened here, Darling?"

"Oh you know, got stabbed by my fiancee, normal stuff." I rasped up at him and he laughed.

"You know, other than myself, I think you're the only person I know to find death from a loved one so amusing, what is your name, Darling?"

"G-Gabrielle Salvatore." I stuttered, my breathing more heavy and my head feeling light "I'm going to die, aren't I?" I looked up at him as a tear slid down my cheek. He reached out and wiped the tear from my face, he looked down at his hand for a second and he shook his head.

"Not tonight, just relax. You're going to be fine." I nodded slowly as my vision started failing and I gasped as I saw his eyes darken and he bit his wrist, he held my head and his wrist neared my mouth. "You need to drink this, Gabrielle. I promise you'll feel better." I blinked once and slowly swallowed as the blood dripped down my throat. "That's it." He whispered and I felt myself become stronger and my wound stopped hurting as I swallowed some more, my hand reached up and I took hold of his wrist and drank more. I gasped for breath as he took his hand away and he stood up, I stood up with him and my hand instantly went down to my torso, the wound wasn't there and I looked over to the mysterious figure.

"Who are you?" I asked him and he looked surprised.

"You're not afraid of me?"

"You saved my life, I think it would be rude to be scared of the man who prevented my death." He smiled and I felt a warmth on my cheeks, I looked away, unable to stop myself smiling. I took a few deep breaths before I turned back round "So, mysterious man who saved my life, are you going to answer my question?" I teased and his smile grew wider.

"My name is Kol Mikealson, at your service." He gave a mocking bow and I laughed. "I could listen to your laugh all day, Gabrielle." He took my hand and I blushed again.

"So, are you possessed by the devil?" I asked the charming man and he laughed and I tilted my head questioningly at him.

"Not exactly, I'm a vampire." I opened my mouth and he shrugged.

"So how did you save me?" I asked him after an awkward silence.

"It's a long story," His mouth twisted into a grimace "But basically my blood possesses healing properties, when I fed you my blood your stab wound healed." I nodded and my hand went to the hole in my dress where the knife had struck, his eyes followed it. "You're right, Darling. We should replace that dress, I don't want Elijah to think ill of me."

"But how will I get a new dress?I can't go back home because people will suspect something: I can't exactly walk away unharmed from a fatal wound." I asked him and he nodded.

"That makes sense, but I'm sure a passing carriage won't mind giving you a spare dress..." He trailed off and looked to the west "Follow me, there's someone coming. Hurry now." I followed Kol and we ran until we hit a road, I recognized it as the road that led into Mystic Falls. "Over there." He pointed and I saw a faint orange glow of a lantern, as the glow got bigger as the carriage drew nearer I could heard the faint clopping of horses hooves. He led me behind some trees and pulled me in and our lips touched, my eyes widened in surprise but I closed my eyes and leaned in, he broke off the kiss gently and gave me a small smile before he walked out to the carriage. I looked after him breathlessly and watched as the carriage slowed to a stop. I heard the low hum of conversation and I crept out from the treeline to hear the voices.

"I just need to do a routine check, that's all. There have been some bandits around these parts lately." I saw Kol keep contact with carriage driver's eyes and I saw his face go slack and he nodded. Kol clapped his hands "Excellent." He opened the door to the carriage and froze, and then he relaxed "Well, well, isn't this cozy. I heard that my older brother is looking for you, Katerina." There was silence, before a figure blurred but Kol held out his hand and the figure was in his grip, I gasped as I saw it was a girl - a terrified girl no less. "I'm Kol, if you don't remember our meeting at Klaus's birthday." I heard the smile in his voice as the girl struggled, Kol sighed "You need to relax, I'll even make a deal with you: if you give me a pick of two or three dresses I'll not mention to my older brother that I met you out here tonight." The dark haired brunette girl glared at him but nodded.

"Emily, we're going to turn round after this, we can get what we need in a couple of years. Just fetch the dresses." The girl called into the carriage with gritted teeth, Kol let go of her as another girl exited the carriage carrying a large trunk. The other girl opened it and Kol looked into the girl he called Katerina, he was doing something that made her stare at him and I felt a wave of jealousy, which surprised me greatly. When Kol let go of Katerina she stayed still, her face blank whilst he rummaged through the trunk, he pulled out a dress and thanked them both, and then Katerina grabbed Emily's arm and the luggage then they vanished. Kol moved to the front of the carriage and thanked the driver, he nodded and the carriage moved on, Kol strode over and handed me the dress, it was a deep red and I couldn't help but think of the color of blood when I looked at it. The dress itself was beautiful and I loved the fact that Kol had got it for me.

"Thank you, Kol." I smiled shyly up at him and he grinned back.

"Your welcome, Darling." He gave me a sideways smile and my heart started thundering in my chest.

"Should I change now?" I asked him and he observed me for a moment.

"I promise I won't look," He put a hand over his heart "If you don't want me to." He winked and I laughed.

"Turn around, I'll be behind the bushes." I made my way through the bracken and fiddled with the ribbon ties on my dress, when I got them off the dress gave way and slid to the ground I shivered against the cold and pulled my new dress around my bodice I sighed as I started pulling the ribbons on the back of my dress tight until I felt warm, smooth hands around mine.

"Here, let me." I heard Kol's voice in my ear and I relaxed as he carefully looped the black silk ribbon through the ties, he knotted it shut and he stepped back and admired his work I reached up and pulled the pins from my hair: blue didn't go with red after all. My hair fell in waves down my back and stroked my waist as I took each pin from the top of my head. I sighed as I pulled the last one out and studied each intricate design of the deep blue tanzanites, I reached out my hand and gave them to Kol.

"Here, can you keep them safe for me?" I asked as he looked me in the eyes, his dark eyes meeting my dark blue eyes, then he nodded seriously and put them in his inside pocket of his jacket.

"Come on, I want to show you the world. Come with me." He pulled on my hand and I smiled and nodded, my heart hammering in my chest. I took one last look back at the woods that led to my home and then everything was blurred, I shut my eyes and I heard Kol laugh.

We didn't stop running until Kol had reached a bustling town with stone streets and large houses lining them. Kol led me to the nearest inn, he opened the door and I felt the warmth hit me almost immediately, the chattering and laughing reached my ears and I relaxed.

"Why are we here, Kol?"

"There's someone I want you to meet, Darling." I followed Kol through the inn and weaved around the people until we reached a table it the back of the building, the noise wasn't so loud and there weren't as many people back here. Two men were sat talking and drinking, Kol had a childish grin on his face as he neared.

"Elijah, it's so good to see you. How long has it been?"

The dark haired man chuckled "Quite a while, I believe." Kol nodded and hugged the dark haired Elijah, his face turned cold as he looked at the blonde haired man.

"Klaus." Kol's voice was cold and the warmth had drained from it.

"Kol, don't be so mean to your big brother." The man called Klaus cracked a smile, his voice had the same British accent as Kol, but Elijah had a strange american lilt on his voice.

"Whatever, Klaus. I'm getting a drink." Kol scoffed headed towards the bar.

"Why don't you just apologize? Rebekah isn't here because of your lack of remorse." Elijah glared at Klaus and exited his seat, heading after Kol. Klaus looked at me and smiled.

"I'm sorry, I didn't see you there, love. You're here with Kol, I presume?" His light eyes met my dark ones and I nodded. "Ah, my brother has an eye for the pretty blondes." I frowned and sat in an empty seat on the table, Klaus looked at me with calculating eyes.

"So, do you have a name?"

"Gabrielle." I didn't look at him directly, I felt him smile and move next to me.

"You know, Gabrielle has a religious meaning. Something along the lines of God is my strength. Do you believe in God?" He asked me, I looked at him and narrowed my eyes at him and leaned in close to him.

"I know what you are." I whispered to him and he grinned.

"Then, you'll know how foolish that action was." He grabbed my arm and pulled me from view of the rest of the bar.

"What are you doing? Get your hand _off _me." I told him, my voice low and cold, he laughed and looked into my eyes, I saw his pupils dilate and I couldn't look away, the noise of conversation died down and I was focused on Klaus's words.

"You will not scream, and you will not run. Hold still." I froze and could only watch as Klaus moved my hair back and exposed my neck, I watched as his eyes darkened and the veins rose under his eyes. His mouth went to my neck and I felt pain as his teeth bit into me, he wrapped his arms on my shoulder as I felt myself weaken, my eyelids drooped as I felt myself weaken. I let out a breath and Klaus let go, I saw Kol and Elijah heading towards us, and I closed my eyes and drifted away.

_**Kol's P.O.V**_

I glared at my older brother and headed to get a drink, I felt Elijah touch my shoulder and I looked at him, "Why didn't you tell me Klaus was with you?" I asked him angrily.

"Because I still believe that Klaus is only the way he is because of Mikeal." His voice was calm and I turned to him.

"Then you are a fool, just look what he did to Finn." I told him and Elijah shrugged.

"Finn always hated what we have become, he thinks that we should have died over eight-hundred years ago."

"That doesn't mean Klaus should stick him in a box!" I argued.

"Just, please. Give your brother another chance."

I looked at him for a moment, before nodding. "Fine."

"Thank you, Kol." Elijah said to me and I flashed a smile.

"You have to meet this girl I just met, she's the most extraordinary person I've ever met." I told him and Elijah smiled.

"She sounds good for you. Is she here?"

"Yes, she's just..." I turned to where I had left her and something inside me broke away. "Klaus! What have you done?" Tears rolled down my cheeks as I ran over and picked her from Klaus's grasp. Klaus wiped his mouth on a napkin and smiled.

"She knew about what we were. She was a liability." Klaus smirked at me "Such a shame, though. Pretty little thing she was."

I put Gabrielle's lifeless body down and snarled, I snapped a leg from a chair and flew at Klaus, I drove it into his abdomen and then there was a cold in my heart, I gasped and looked down at the dagger in my chest. "Look at what you've done, Kol." Klaus sighed and I looked into his eyes as my blood slowly stopped pumping and I closed my eyes and everything just. Stopped.

_**Elijah's P.O.V**_

I looked down at my younger brother as he held the beautiful dead girl in his arms. I knew Kol had felt something for this human, and I was glad: Kol needed to stop fooling around and I was happy for him. He looked up at Klaus and I saw tears wetting his face as he cried at his brother, "Klaus! What have you done?" I glared at Klaus over Kol's shoulder and he smirked and wiped his bloodied mouth on a napkin

"She knew about what we were. She was a liability." He grinned at Kol "Such a shame, though. Pretty little thing she was." Kol carefully laid the girl down and looked up, snarling at Klaus. He blurred and broke a chair leg and thrust it into Klaus's torso, I cried out as I saw the dagger in Klaus's hand. Kol gasped and looked down, the dagger had been plunged into his chest and Klaus faked a sigh, "Look at what you've done, Kol." Kol looked up into Klaus's eyes and then he dropped to the floor, I looked at the two bodies and then up at Klaus.

"Killing the girl, daggering Kol. Was that really necessary?" I looked at Klaus angrily and he shrugged.

"Now I have one less problem to worry about, don't tell me you didn't think about it too, brother." Klaus threw Kol over his shoulder and looked down at the dead girl.

"Pick up the girl, will you?" Klaus walked out the back door and I sighed and carefully carried the girl after him.

"You realize," I told him when I had caught up with him, "That Kol had told me only moments before you had so rudely killed her, that Kol had genuine feelings for this girl?"

"And do you realize, Elijah," Klaus countered "That you and I both know that Kol is impulsive, violent and reckless. This girl would have died anyway, I just sped everything up for her, now do us both a favor and compel someone to dispose of the body." I scoffed and shook my head.

"She is an innocent child, she deserves a proper burial."

"Then give her one, what do I care?" He walked off and I sighed and hurried back to where we were living. I took her up to the guest room and lay her on the bed, then sighed and went downstairs for a drink. Klaus was sat in an armchair and I glared at him.

"Did you bury the girl already? I'm impressed." Klaus looked over and I frowned.

"Her body is laying on top of the guest bed, I'm going to bury her in the morning. You should undagger Kol so he can pay her respects."

"No why," Klaus stood up and walked over "Would I want to do that?"

"Because our brother deserves that. He came to us just so he could introduce the poor girl. I didn't even get her name."

"Gabrielle." I stiffened at the female voice and whirled at the sound and gasped at who was there, the girl who had died just half an hour before was standing in the doorway.

"Well, that's unexpected." Klaus laughed from behind my shoulder and the girl frowned at him, her hand flew to her neck.

"You, you killed me!" She exclaimed and I turned to my brother, his laugh was gone and he just shrugged.

"And now you're alive! So I don't know why you're angry at me." Klaus left the room and I frowned after him.

"Pay no attention to him, he can't help it." I looked at her apologetically. "My name is Elijah, I'm one of Kol's brother's. Now would you mind telling me how you're alive?" She shrugged and went quiet for a moment, her eyes lit up and she answered.

"I was dying earlier this night, Kol found me and gave me his blood. I healed and then he led me to the edge of a forest, he did something to a girl, Katerina, in a passing carriage... He got me this dress and then we came here, you and Kol left the table in the inn and Klaus told me to not scream, not run and stay still." Her hands flew to her face and she spoke into her hands, "I couldn't do anything, and then I died, I awoke upstairs and heard you and Klaus..." She trailed off and looked at me "Where is Kol?" She asked me, her head tilting questioningly. I sighed and opened my mouth to answer but was cut off.

"He went out, but he'll be back soon, love." Klaus came in carrying a man, I saw that he was unconscious but I smelled the blood that was seeping from a wound in his neck.

"What are you doing with that?" Gabrielle asked as Klaus neared her.

"Call it a peace offering, love." He handed the body to Gabrielle, making sure the man's bleeding neck was facing her, she looked at the blood and I frowned at Klaus, he grinned back at me. It was quiet as I watched the girl watch, hypnotized as the man's life force bled onto her hand, the girl bent down and plunged her head onto the man. Klaus sighed happily as the new vampire drained the corpse and threw it on the ground, I looked over at my brother.

"What are you so happy about?"

"It's just going to be fun, watching you try and control a young vampire." He smirked and walked towards the door, "Oh, I almost forgot, here." He threw a small object to me and I reached out and caught it, a silver bracelet with a small blue jewel fixed on it lay in my palm. I looked over at my brother questioningly, he shrugged and walked up the stairs. I sighed and turned back at Gabrielle, she was looking at her bloodied hands, her hair curtaining her face.

"Gabrielle, I want you to put this on." I walked over and slowly reached for pale wrist, she let me put the bracelet on and I looked at her carefully. "Are you alright?" I ask her and she looked at me.

"I-I feel good, but I want Kol." She said, her voice shaky and her eyes wide in shock. I looked at her sadly and sighed as I pulled back her hair and she looked into my eyes.

"You will not remember going anywhere with Kol, he saved you from dying and left you on the side of the road near your hometown, a carriage pulled up and Katherine Pierce killed you after asking who you were. You will forget any feelings you had about Kol, all you remember is Katherine killing you and waking up a vampire and killing a newly wed couple, then driving away from your hometown and meeting myself and Klaus." I compelled her and she let out a breath and nodded.

"So, I feed off people now?" She asked, her shocked look completely vanishing from her eyes as she looked at me, I nodded and she looked at the bracelet.

"A vampire cannot survive without human blood. That is the most important rule of survival, Gabrielle."

"Survival. Got it. Why did you give me this bracelet?" She gestured to her wrist and I looked at her seriously.

"Vampire's cannot walk in the sunlight, they need a daylight object that a witch has spelled." She looked confused on the word witch but nodded all the same.

"So, what are the advantages of being a vampire?" She asked, fiddling with the long red skirt of her dress.

"Well, vampires have enhanced speed, strength, sight and smell. Vampire blood contains healing properties and a vampire cannot be killed unless your heart is staked by wood, or has been removed from your body. Also decapitation, but-."

"Decapitation kills most things." She finished with a smile and I chuckled.

**Author's Note: Thank You for reading! Review and tell me your thoughts.**

**- Blue-Eyed Angel-Girl **


	5. Chapter 5

**Author's Note:****I haven't got that much to say really... **

**Once Upon A Time**

**Chapter 05**

**_Gabrielle's P.O.V_  
**

I sighed as I walked into the room and sadly looked at the white sheets that covered various objects of different shapes and sizes, I smiled and ran over to the largest one and yanked it off. The white sheet came down and I smoothly stepped back as it pooled at my feet, I laughed lightly as I saw my old bed from when I was a human, there wasn't any mattress or anything on it but the bed frame remained I looked back to beside the door. _Hmmm... I wonder_. I ran over to an object against the wall near the door and pulled the sheet off, tears pricked my eyes as I stroked the smooth cherry wood of my original dressing table, I frowned and caught a tear that rolled down my face and scoffed at my dramatics._ Grow up, it's just a room _I scolded softly to myself and walked back out the room. I really was hungry and if my brother's weren't going to take me out, I guess I'll just have to get a blood bag from the local blood bank. I silently made my way back downstairs and froze when I heard a familiar voice.

"This is an elixir that I acquired 500 years ago for Katerina. It possesses mystical properties of resurrection." I grinned when I recognized who it belonged to and I couldn't help it, I squealed and ran up to Elijah and enveloped him in a hug.

"Elijah! You're here!" I felt Elijah freeze but then he chuckled and picked me up and swung me round.

"Gabrielle, it is wonderful to see you after all this time. What are you doing here?" He looked quizzically at me and I grinned and gestured towards my brother's, Damon and Stefan both shared the same look of shock as I introduced them.

"Damon and Stefan are my younger brother's, Elijah. I haven't seen them since I was a human..." I trailed off as Elijah frowned at them both.

"I had no idea that you were related." He said after a brief pause, behind Stefan and Damon I heard Elena scoff.

"Yeah, it's the first I've heard of it too." I heard her mutter and I frowned and grinned sweetly at her from behind Stefan.

"Clearly you're not very important to my brother's then." I retorted and Damon snickered whilst Elijah put his hand up to silence everyone.

"Ladies please, Gabrielle you spent decades in my company and I have _never _heard you be so rude and uncaring." He glared at me and I shrugged, Elena was shooting me daggers and I responded by lengthening my fangs and allowing the veins under my eyes to surface, she stepped back a little and I grinned and flicked my long hair.

"Wait, hang on," Damon looked at me confusedly "What do you mean you guys spent decades in eachother's company?" He growled and I shrugged again, letting my face turn normal.

"I was with Elijah and Klaus until around 1887?" I looked at him and he nodded confirming my answer and I gave Damon a dazzling smile "Then we met up again in the 1900's, then I met Rebekah, she sure loved to party back then." I grinned, my eyes shining as I recalled fond memories. Everyone but Elijah looked confusedly before the witch piped up from the back.

"I thought we were trying to figure out how to save Elena's life..." She drawled and I rolled my eyes and looked at the Katherine-look alike. Elena nodded at her friend and looked at Elijah.

"So, when I take the elixir and die I'll come back to life?" She asked the Original, he nodded but Damon shook his head in disagreement.

"That's your plan? A magical witch potion with no expiration date?" His tone was exasperated and Stefan gave him a long look, Damon being Damon ignored it and turned to Elena. "You want to come back to life, what about John's ring?"

"Those rings only work on humans. The doppelganger's a supernatural occurrence. Odd's are the ring won't work." He replied smoothly and I frowned, trying to work out what they were talking about. _If she's the doppelganger Klaus must be using her for the creepy ritual that he used to obsess over._

"I'll take those odds over your elixir." Elena moved forward and looked gratefully at Elijah, Damon kept his icy eyes on her "What if it doesn't work, Elena?"

"Then I guess I'll just be dead." She said it to Damon but was looking at Stefan the whole time, I frowned to myself and looked at the three of them. _Which one is she dating, geez_. I rolled my eyes when Damon looks at Stefan and he shrugs, Damon switches his gaze to Elena but she didn't meet his eyes, he scoffs and leaves outside.

"Do we know if Klaus has everything he needs to do this? Does he have a werewolf?" Elena asked after the awkward silence of Damon's departure.

"Klaus has been waiting to break this curse for over a thousand years, if he doesn't already have a werewolf, my guess is by tonight, he will." Elijah said and I rolled my eyes at the dramatics, Stefan caught my expression and frowned at me. I grinned innocently back in response before taking the bourbon bottle and retreating outside after Damon.

I found him sitting on the patio steps drinking scotch and I couldn't help but grin "Mind if I join you?" I sit down and offer him the bottle, he smirks and fills his glass, I tipped the bottle to him before taking a swig from the bottle.

"So, who's dating Elena. Because honestly I can't tell." I look at him and he chuckles.

"Stefan always gets the girl, Gabrielle. You know that." He sighs and I pat him on the back comfortingly.

"Ah who needs a girlfriend when you're reunited with your older sister?" I chirped at him and he looks at me and shakes his head.

"We're actually the same age now, Stef and I were turned in 1864, so that makes me just 21"

"So I can't play the _I'm older I get the say in everything first _card?" I mocked and we both laugh, we sat in silence for a while watching the sun rise over the treeline slowly. "So who turned you?" I asked him, Damon didn't reply at first and downed his glass beforehand.

"Would you believe it was Katherine Pierce?"He grinned and I gripped the bourbon bottle so hard it smashed into fragments and cut my palm, I jumped up a little and looked down at the blood leaking from the wound, Damon jumped back a little. "Jesus, Gabrielle. What the hell is wrong with you?" He asked as the alcohol wetted the stone steps.

"It's nothing," I muttered and looked away "I'm just hungry, and angry. I can't _believe _she killed you." I looked back at him disgustedly and he shrugged, I snarled and lobbed the bottle at the house, it smashed and Damon grabbed my arm's.

"Hey! Calm _down_." He growled in my ear as we heard Elena and the witch gasp from inside, I snarled as I looked at Elena's face and shuddered at how much she looked like Katherine.

"Damon, why are you and Stefan hanging around _her_? That is so messed up!" I cried out and struggled against his grip, I snarled again and allowed my face to turn and I glared at him over my shoulder "Let _go _of me!"

"Aww, can Gabrielle not get out of this one?" He snickered and I screamed out in frustration.

"It's only because I was dosed with vervain three times, and then shot this morning and staked." I hissed and Stefan ran out with a worried look on his face.

"Damon let go of her!" He called as he sped closer, Damon sighed and shoved me away. Stefan held me as I glared at Damon. "Are you ok, Gabrielle?" Stefan asked me in a worried tone.

"Yes, I'm fine." I said exasperatedly and stormed back into the house, Elena, the witch and Elijah didn't take their eyes from me as I stalked to my bag grabbed it and walked out again.

"Where do you think you're going?" Damon called from the patio steps, I turned and called back angrily.

"I'm hungry, how many times must I say it?" I growled and got into my car, I floored the pedal and the car shot off down the driveway, images of Katherine and Elena kept popping up in my head. Katherine's image was always further away and slightly blurred, as if I was looking at her from a distance, it always confused me but I knew Katherine had killed me. I couldn't believe that my brother's were head over heels for this Elena girl, I was supposed to come back into town and have Stefan and Damon as a family again - _not _with this slutty doppelganger. I pulled up behind The Grill and walked inside, I was amazed it wasn't empty at 10 o'clock in the morning but I didn't care - at least I didn't have to go somewhere else for a meal.

I heard saw a familiar face by the pool table and groaned as I saw he was on the phone, I looked around the room and smiled when I saw a very gorgeous man sat at the bar alone, I walked up there and smiled sweetly at the bartender.

"Hey, gorgeous. What can I get you?" The bartender grinned at me and I faked a giggle and leaned over the counter.

"Hi. Tony right? From last night?" I questioned and he nodded.

"Yeah that's me, honey. Sorry I had to tell you to leave last night, but it's the law you know."

"But I'm above the law right?" I pouted and curled a strand of my hair around my finger.

"Sure you are beautiful, what can I get you?" He gestured to the glasses and I gave him one of my more dazzling smiles.

"Can I just have a neat bourbon, Tony?" I asked sweetly and he nodded and prepared the drink.

"On the house." He said as he put it on the counter, I blew him a kiss and then sat next to the good looking man, he seemed to be grading school papers and I couldn't help but grin.

"Are you sure this is the right place to be conducting school marking?" I asked him and he looked up at me, he looked to be in his early twenties and I bit my glossed lip flirtatiously at him.

"Sure it is, it's the only place I feel comfortable in." He flashed me a smile and I raised my drink to him.

"Well, I'll drink to that." I chuckled and we clinked glasses. "So what subject do you teach, mysterious teacher guy?" I asked him and he looked up from his work.

"Well, I- uh I'm a history teacher, Alaric Saltzman."

"Also a day drinker." I pointed to the time and then at his drink.

"As are you, mysterious blonde younger than me girl." He used my line and I laughed.

"Hey! I'm nineteen! Not _that _young." I protested. "And you can't be that old can you, Mr Saltzman?" I teased and he chuckled.

"Well you got me, but I'm still twenty three, and please, call me Alaric." He confided in me and I shrugged.

"Four years isn't that bad is it?" I asked him and he shook his head.

"Not bad at all, Miss..?"

"Salvatore, Gabrielle Salvatore." I flashed him a smile and he tilted his head questioningly.

"Salvatore? As in Stefan and Damon?"

"Yeah, Stefan and Damon are my brothers." I took another sip of my drink and his gorgeous eyes bored into mine.

"That's weird, I didn't know they had a sister... I know Damon and he's never mentioned you to me, or anyone."

"Well, Damon doesn't like to be upstaged." I shook it off coolly and finished my drink, Alaric looked at me before nodding.

"Careful, Ric. She's a phsyco." Damon whispered loudly and I turned to glare at my brother.

"What do you want?" I sighed, annoyed as Alaric grinned at Damon.

"I just came to hang out and drink with my best friend and younger sister." He looked at me with a grin and I sighed irritably before I saw his grin drop and he looked a the bartender. "Can I have the bourbon bottle please?"

"What did you do?" I asked him after he took a long drink from the bottle.

"I did something bad, and she'll never forgive me for it." He muttered and Alaric looked at him.

"What? Who will never forgive you? Elena?"

Damon nodded and I rolled my eyes "It can't have been that bad, Damon."

"You don't know what it is yet, I fed her my blood so that she'll come back a vampire." Alaric gasped and I had to hide my grin, it was all so funny.

"I'm guessing that the blood was force-fed, then." I struggled not to laugh. Damon sighed and nodded his head sadly.

"I screwed up."

"Yeah. Yeah you did." Alaric agreed and I sighed and hugged my brother.

"It'll be fine, at least you won't have to worry about her loosing her looks." I said as I wrapped his arms around me.

"Damon, I didn't know you had a sister." Alaric gestured to me and Damon smirked.

"Yeah, well. She always was the only person in every family that no one wanted to talk about." He snickered and I elbowed him in the gut. Hard.

"Hey, watch your mouth." I threatened and we all simultaneously took a sip of our drinks.

"Hey, why so glum?" A smooth British voice sounded behind us and I jumped.

"Klaus." I breathed and sped for the door, but he grabbed my arm and glared at me.

"Gabrielle, it's been so long. I haven't seen you since 1915." He smiled at me and I shuddered under his blue eyed gaze.

"Yeah, how unfortunate that I happen to run into you now." I narrowed my eyes at him and he chuckled.

"So, you're Klaus?" Damon asked from my left shoulder and pulls me back to my seat, giving me a questioning look. _Tell you later_. I mouthed to him and he nodded.

"In the flesh." He joked, I didn't get it and ordered another bourbon. "Thank's for the loan, mate." He looks over at Alaric and I frowned in confusion, shrugging it off when I downed the glass.

"Any reason you stopped to say hi?" Damon drawled lazily.

"I'm told you and your brother both fancy my doppelganger. Just thought I'd remind you not to do anything you'll regret." He smiled and I scoffed.

"What? Like you did?" I muttered under my breath and Klaus glared at me.

"Gabrielle, love. You wouldn't be so spiteful if Elijah hadn't ruined everything."

"That's just the thing, Klaus. Elijah _didn't _ruin everything, you did."

"I compelled you _once_, Gabrielle, if Elijah hadn't intervened you would be seeing things a lot differently." He rolled his eyes at me and Damon grabbed my arm.

"What's he talking about, Gabrielle?"

"Ugh, it's such a long story Damon, hardly a good one either." Klaus moaned but I shot daggers at him.

"Basically, I was with Elijah, Klaus and Rebekah one night and Klaus compelled me to do something terrible." I shivered at the memory.

**_Somewhere in Chicago - 1915_**

Rebekah and I were giggling on our way home from the bar, we stumbled pass a very large and rowdy crowd of young adults and continued on down the street towards our home, Elijah and Klaus were a little way behind us. "You know, Rebekah. That waitor had an eye for you." I winked at her and she giggled.

"I know! But I couldn't help myself. He tasted delicious." She licked her lips and I wiped a speck of blood from her cheek.

"So I see." I giggled and felt someone grab my arm, I stiffened but relaxed as I saw it was just Klaus.

"Can I speak to you for a moment, Gabrielle?" He asked me and I nodded at him, Elijah caught up with Rebekah and they both disappeared around the next corner.

"What do you want, Klaus?" I asked him, he smiled and looked behind us and around the street, as if he was hiding from someone, then he tilted my chin and his eyes bored into mine.

"I want you to go back to where that crowd of people were and I want you to slaughter them for me, make it flashy. You're causing a distraction, love." His pupils dilated and I felt myself blinking.

"I'm going to slaughter the crowd of people, and create a distraction." I repeated and he smiled and stroked my hair before continuing after Rebekah and Elijah, I felt my fangs elongate and I felt the blood rush under my eyes and I sped back towards the group we passed. I snatched the leader silently and tore at his throat on top of a building, the crowd below us had grown silent and I smiled at their fear. After the corpse was drained I ripped the leader's head from his shoulders and threw it down to land in front of the crowd, I smiled as the crowd screamed and I flew down and started killing them all, snapping their weak necks and tearing at their throats, three people had fled from the scene and I smiled and stalked towards them. Elijah sped over to me, his eyes wide in confusion.

"Gabrielle? What are you doing?" He held onto my shoulders as I tried to get past him.

"Let go, Elijah. I need to do this." I hissed at him, blood still dripping from the corner of my mouth.

"I don't understand..." He looked at me closely and then he turned his head at the direction in which we were originally headed "Klaus!" he roared and I sighed and wrenched myself from his grip and took off running towards the three people left to kill. Then I was on my back on the floor and Elijah was holding my throat, Klaus had arrived and was looking innocent as he looked at Elijah and me.

"Well well, what have I done now?" He asked and I saw Elijah glare at him.

"What did you do?" He asked him through gritted teeth as I fought against his stony grip once again.

"I didn't do anything, Elijah. Seem's Gabrielle did all that." He pointed to the severed limbs and body parts that littered the street.

"Gabrielle wouldn't have done that on her own accord, Klaus. I know you compelled her." I was still struggling from his grip before Elijah sighed and looked down in my eyes "Stop fighting me." He commanded and instantly I stopped and stayed silent.

"Seems you're the one who's compelling her." Klaus looked amused and Elijah scoffed.

"Gabrielle, I want you to answer truthfully: Did Klaus compel you to kill that crowd of people just now?" His dark pupils dilated and I couldn't stop myself from nodding up at him.

"Yes, he did." I told him.

Elijah looked up at Klaus with a disgusted look on his face "Why would you do that, Klaus?" He shouted and Klaus looked around the street before answering in a low voice.

"Because he's here, Elijah. He'll kill us all and I thought if we had Gabrielle distract him by doing a little harmless slaughter we could leave without any problems." Klaus glared at his brother.

"How could you do that to her? He would kill Gabrielle the moment he found her." Elijah hissed at Klaus and I felt tears prick my eyes.

"Klaus..." I trailed off as tears rolled down my cheeks, and I closed my eyes against the horror of what I'd done.

"It's okay, Gabrielle." Elijah murmured as he pulled me to my feet, he embraced me gently and I sobbed into his chest.

"It's not," I sobbed at Elijah "Look what I've done!" I cried and pointed at all the people I had mercilessly killed.

"Calm down, love. It's fine" Klaus rolled his eyes and I glared at him.

"Don't talk to me!" I screamed at him and I sped off into the night, abandoning the three Original's behind. I was truly alone now, for the first time in decades I had no one.

**_Mystic Fall's - Present Day_**

"Woah." Damon muttered and hugged me as I managed a sob and buried my head into his chest. He stroked my hair and I heard Klaus sigh.

"Now now, there's no need for dramatics, love." Klaus moaned and I glared at him.

"My sister will only forgive you if you do one thing for me." Damon reasoned and I looked at him and shook my head.

"No I won't." I said stubbornly.

"Shhh, Gabrielle." He looked at me and I stayed quiet. "What do you want, Damon?" He asked interestedly.

"I don't suppose I could negotiate a postponement by any chance, huh?" He grinned and I sighed and rolled my eyes. Klaus's smirk dropped and he frowned.

"You are kidding?"

"No, not really." Alaric spoke up from beside me.

"I mean," Damon put down his drink and picked me up and placed me on a chair, I hit his arm and he smirked. "Come on, what's one month in the whole grand scheme of things?"

Klaus laughed and leaned in "Let me be clear... I have my vampire, I have my werewolf. I have everything I need. The ritual will happen tonight. So if you want to live to see tomorrow, don't screw it up." He exited the bar and I let out a low whistle.

"You know," I said breaking the silence, "Because of his accent, saying _'don't screw it up_' like that sounded really funny." I grinned and Alaric looked at me peculiarly.

"That was fun." Damon sighed and got up from the chair.

"You're going to screw it up, aren't you?" Alaric asked him.

"Yeah, I was thinking that if I took this werewolf out of the equation then Elena might just forgive me for the fact that I tried to turn her into a vampire." I choked on my drink and looked up at him.

"You must be joking, Damon. Even you aren't that stupid." I shook my head at him but he ignored me.

"She's right, Damon, it won't even matter because you'll be dead." Alaric agreed with me and I held my arms up.

"See? See, Damon I'm right, you're wrong." I looked at him triumphantly.

"But without a werewolf, he can't perform the ritual, which means I'll have bought Elena one more month before the next full moon." He said it as if it was the most obvious thing in the world.

"No." I shook my head at him.

"Yes, Gabrielle stop it."

"I'm not gonna be here for barely one day and then have my brother be killed by some hybrid freak."

"That's the thing, I barely know who you are anymore." He glared at me and I froze. _Okay, that hurt a little."_

_"_Ouch." I muttered as I finished my drink.

"I don't have time for this, are you gonna help me or what?" Damon said irritably.

"What do you need me to do?" Alaric asked.

**Author's Note: Please review!**


	6. Chapter 6

**Author's Note:Thank You to Brightlikethestars1864 for reviewing!**

**Once Upon A Time**

**Chapter 06**

_**Gabrielle's P.O.V**_

"Uhh are we there yet?" I moaned as I followed Damon and the hot history teacher Alaric up the stairs, I heard Alaric make an amused sound and he looked back at me.

"You're over one hundred years old and you can't handle four flights of stairs." He stated simply and I glared as Damon laughed.

"Damon, give me a piggy-back the rest of the way up?" I pleaded him childishly, he snorted and shook his head.

"No can do, Gabrielle. Giving you a piggy-back would mean going down the stairs again, and besides, no one wanted you to come." He shot me an annoyed look and I rolled my eyes.

"You're so mean." I muttered and inspected my fingernails, I was going to have to redo them when this was all over: three were chipped and it looked tacky. "So what are we doing here anyway?" I asked after an awkward bout of silence.

"Well, I am here to save Elena's life, Ric is here for letting me in... as to why you're here I'm still trying to figure out." Damon cast me a sly smile back at me and I rolled my eyes.

"How many times do I have to tell you? I'm here for my brother, you're hurting, Damon. I know I haven't seen you in over a century but you're still my brother, I can always tell when you're hurting." I looked at him, my eyes boring into his and he sighed and shook his head.

"You're wrong, I'm _not _hurting." He disagreed.

"Yes you are."

"No, actually I'm not."

"You are."

"Not."

"Ye-."

"I swear to God, if one of you two don't shut up I'm not inviting you in." Alaric cut me off and I smirked and looked him up and down.

"Commanding. Sexy." I smirked at him and I heard Damon scoff, Alaric ignored me and I rolled my eyes to myself, sighing irritably when we reached a door at the end of the hallway. "So, this is it, right?" I asked them, when no one replied I blurred and kicked the door, it smashed from its hinges and clattered into the room.

"Hey! I had a key I was gonna open it up with! It is my house." Alaric sighed and I shrugged.

"Oopsies, I got in trouble with the teacher." I giggled to Damon and he frowned at me but I saw a grin tugging his mouth, this made me smile: finally he wasn't pretending to hate me. Alaric walked into the house whilst Damon and I stood around outside the threshold, Alaric moved deeper into the apartment and I looked at my brother, he shrugged and I narrowed my eyes: I am not one the kind of person who stands outside in the cold. "Hey Ric, your door looked really nice. I can't wait to see what the rest of the house looks like." I drawled sarcastically, Damon chuckled and my fingers tapped against the clear barrier that seperated the apartment from me and my brother.

"Oh right, sorry guys. She's still here by the way." Alaric came back and aimed the last thing at Damon, I looked at my brother and he narrowed his eyes but nodded.

"Wait, who's still here?" I asked confusedly, I was ignored by Damon and I stamped my foot impatiently. An olive toned brunette with dark eyes and dark wavy hair appeared near the door and I snarled. Katherine. She smirked at the three of us and looked at Alaric.

"Look who's dumb enough to come back." She snickered at Alaric, he ignored her and she looks at me, I couldn't help myself. I let my face transform and I bared my fangs at her and blurred towards her, only to stopped by the damn barrier, she laughed as I pressed my hands against it.

"Awww, the little girl can't get in." Katherine looked at me in a mocking tone and I looked at Alaric.

"Ric, you have to let me in. I need to kill her." I glared at the brunette and she laughed.

"Would you look at that. I don't even know her and she wants to kill me." She looked at Damon and I frowned.

How could you forget about me? You killed me in 1862!" I shouted at her and she rolled her eyes.

"Now I _know_ you must be mistaken, I didn't kill any blue-eyed blondes in 1862. Trust me I would have remembered someone like you."

"How dare you lie! You killed me and then two years later you killed both my brothers!" I snarled back at her and she shook her head and shot an interestedly glance at Damon.

"She's your sister? She doesn't look like you or Stefan in the slightest." Katherine looked back at me with narrowed eyes.

"I know, she's the splitting image of my mother though, Stefan and I take after our dear loving Father. Invite me in, Alaric." Damon said whilst eyeing the two vampires interestedly, Alaric nodded.

"Yeah sure, uh Damon come inside." Damon smiled and sighed happily as he stepped over the barrier. "Gabrielle, you can co-."

"Oh no, she can't." Damon grabbed hold of Alaric's shoulder painfully and I glared at my brother.

"What? Why can't I come in?" I snapped at Damon, Alaric jumped back but he stood his ground, Katherine laughed and I felt the veins beneath my eyes darken.

"I saw how you reacted when you thought Elena was Katherine and look at you now, there is no way in hell you can set foot in here." Damon's icy eyes looked into mine and I sighed and kicked at the barrier.

"Fine. Hurry up." I growled and sighed when they walked deeper into the house, Katherine threw an amused smirk at me over her shoulder and I narrowed my eyes at her. They rounded a corner and disappeared from my line of sight I leaned against the wall and stayed quiet as I tried to make out what they were saying, but then I heard the sound of rushing water and their voices became inaudible.

_**Damon's P.O.V **_

As soon as we stepped into the kitchen I pointed to the sink "Taps." I told him, Alaric turned them on at full blast and I smiled at him.

Katherine rushed at me and grabbed my neck, her fangs elongated and her eyes red and demonic. "Are you trying to get me killed?" She demanded, I prised her little hands off my throat and slammed her into the wall.

"I gave you vervain, you owe me a favour. Now I'm here to collect, I got it from here, Ric." I kept my eyes trained on the cruel chocolate eyes as I called to Alaric, he looked hesitant but started walking out the room, a few steps away from the exit he faltered.

"You sure?" He called back and I nodded.

"Yeah, only one of us needs to get blamed for this. Get back in the house, keep Elena from handing herself over." He nods and walks out the room without another glance back at us, Katherine looks at me with a confused look and I let go of her and step back.

"Get blamed for what?" Katherine looks at me suspiciously and I look at her, hating the fact that Elena and her looked exactly alike.

"I need to know where Klaus is keeping his werewolf."

"Why, what are you going to do?"

I met her eyes with a look that said: _isn't it obvious?_ "Dead werewolf equals no ritual." I stated simply, she looked at me for two seconds unsure, and then it dawned on her face that I wasn't joking. I almost smiled when I saw the fear set deep in her dark eyes.

"No. You can't interfere, Damon. Klaus will kill you and everyone you've ever _met_." Her hands clasped my shoulders and she looked up at me with a pleading look, I almost forgot that she was the mean spiteful and cruel bitch that killed me.

"I just need to delay this thing." I assured her with a soft voice, she looked at me oddly and then her eyes narrowed.

"No. No way." She shook her head and I raised an eyebrow.

"Since when did you care? You should like this, it's going to buy another month of your pathetic life." I sent her a simpering smile which she ignored.

"Right. Except that I'm not the vampire he's planning on sacrificing." She grinned and my smile dropped.

"What?"

"Yeah. He's got Caroline Forbes and Tyler Lockwood. Therefore, I'm in the clear." She said triumphantly.

"And where'd he get that idea from?" I tilted my head and started towards her, she started backing up against the wall and satisfaction blossomed in me and it sent a grin on my features.

"Hey! Hey, hey, hey, I'm just trying to stay alive long enough to get myself out of here." She nodded her head towards the door when her back hit the wall, her hands out defensively in front of her.

"What if I told you Elena had vampire blood in her system?" I turned away and stared at the water pouring from the tap, I counted in my head and waited for it: _one, two, th-__._

_"_What?!" She pulled on my arm and I swung round to face her, her features contorted into anger.

"Imagine how much _fun_ that will be competing with Elena for Stefan's love for, I don't know, forever." I rolled my eyes at her reaction, she looked worried when I mentioned my brother's name and I felt a pang of jealousy: my brother _always _gets the girl.

"The tomb." She surrendered with defeat flashing over her chocolate eyes, "He's got them in the tomb."

"Thank you. Now tell me, did you kill my sister in 1862?" I leaned in and whispered menacingly in her ear, pulling away a curtain of her dark hair.

"No, I didn't." She answered and I looked at her for a while.

"Then why is she so hellbent on kicking your ass?" I asked exasperatedly, rolling my eyes.

"I _don't_ know. The closest I came to Mystic Falls that year was November."

I froze.

"November? What date?" I grabbed her shoulders and stared deep into her eyes.

"Come on, Damon I don't know. Everything's all so blurred at that time."

"Quit with the lies, Katherine. What date."

"Friday 18th November was the day I was set to arrive there, I heard there was a big party on then."

"So you _did _kill her!" I growled and blurred over to the kitchen table, I snapped a leg off a chair and ran towards Katherine.

"Damon, no wait _stop_!" She caught the stake just before I thrust it into her abdomen, she wrenched it from my grip and it clattered across the floor. "Just before I arrived in Mystic Falls my carriage was stopped and Kol appeared."

"Kol?"

"Klaus's youngest brother."

"I thought Elijah was his only brother."

"No, there are five originals altogether. God you need to brush up on your facts."

"Just tell me what happened."

"Nothing much, Kol told me to turn around and start running. He took one of my dresses though, I think he took it for someone." She looked confused on the last bit and I looked at her closely for anything that gave away that she was lying.

"So that means..."

"That Katherine Pierce is innocent." She smiled coyly and I scoffed and walked out of the room.

"So you're leaving? Just like that?" She called out to me, I stopped and turned.

"There's nothing I can do to help you, Kitty Kat. You're stuck here until we kill Klaus. Tonight." I resumed walking and didn't wait for a reply, I saw Gabrielle leant against the wall and I couldn't help but wonder what had happened to her.

"You took your time." She fake whined and I smiled gently and she joined me as we descended the stairs of the building.

"Sorry, Katherine wouldn't give up the location."

"Right, so now we go stop a ritual for Elena."

"Yep."

**_Gabrielle's P.O.V_**

It was dark by the time Damon and I had reached the tombs, it was clear apart from one guy. "Do you know who that is?" Damon whispered to me, I looked at the man for a long time before shaking my head. He sighed irritably "Let's hope he's just some camper or hiker or something."

"The man's wearing a shirt and tie, Damon I seriously doubt he's a hiker." Damon shrugged and grinned at me, and I stifled a laugh. "There's two of us and one of him, we can take him easily."

"Agreed." We came from behind the trees and strode towards the tomb, the man observed us and made no move against us until we were fifteen steps away.

"Which one are you trying to save? The blond, or the wolf? Did you really think Klaus would leave them unprotected?" The man stared us down, Damon and I looked at each other for a moment, before Damon looked back at the stranger.

"Wishfull thinking." He shrugged his shoulders and in an instant he was gone from my side and blurring towards the man, I smiled when I saw Damon had him pinned until the man moved his arm and Damon was thrown off his feet and into a tree. I watched as my brother hit the ground painfully and I looked at the man. _Witch_. I sped towards him and went straight for his neck, I savagely bit his throat and drunk until the blood tasted like battery acid, I turned and choked up the blood; spitting it on the ground and retching. I turned round to see Damon had the man's arms pinned by his sides, I hissed and went for his throat but before I could take another step towards him there was a sharp pain inside my skull, I cried out and grabbed my head, falling to my knees in pain. A gunshot sounds and the witch falls to the ground, his chest bleeding. I raised my head to see Damon get up and snap the man's neck, the pain stops as the witch falls to the ground dead, I look around and see Matt holding a gun, he walks over to me and gently pulls me to my feet.

"Are you ok?" His blue eyes look at me warily and I nod, looking over at Damon who has a faint smile on his face.

"What?"

"It's funny how we were all _'there's two of us and one of him' _and we almost died."

"Hilarious." I said in the most unenthusiastic tone I could muster. "Thank you for saving us, Matt. You didn't have to do that." I smiled at him and he blushed.

"It's uh fine, Gabrielle. Sorry I vervained you that time."

"I know you are." I patted his arm lightly and walked next to Damon.

"So they're down there?" I asked his, he nodded and made towards the old stone steps that led into the dark. "Wait!" I grabbed his arm and he sighed and looked at me.

"Gabrielle now is not the time to tell me that you're still scared of the dark." He shot me a serious look and I hissed at him and wrenched his arm behind his back painfully.

"_Listen_ Damon, I don't know if you know this but if you get bitten by a werewolf you die a slow and _painful_ death." I almost broke his arm on the word painful and he cried out.

"Of course I know that, Gabrielle. I've seen it happen." I saw sorrow fill his eyes and I let go of his arm.

"Where's Caroline?" Matt broke the silence and Damon and I both turned.

"Listen, man. Not a good time to play the hero." Damon shook his head but Matt narrowed his eyes.

"Where is she? And what did _he_ do to her?" Matt gestured to the witch's body angrily, Damon rolled his eyes.

"Gabrielle and I are just here to rescue her." Damon held is hands up and frowned at him, I looked at Damon suspiciously, but before I could stop him Damon rushed over to Matt and knocked him unconscious with the gun.

"Why did you do that?" I asked my brother angrily, Damon clicked the gun open and tipped the bullets into his hand. I saw that they were wooden.

"He's lucky I already screwed up once today or he'd be dead."Damon said with unnerving calmness and I eyed him as we descended the steps of the tomb together. "You know Matt's not single, right?" Damon broke the silence, I frowned and looked at him.

"You know everyone's single to _me_, right?" I adopted his tone and mocked him, he laughed and I giggled. When it was silent I couldn't stop myself from asking. "So, who's Matt dating then?" I tried to make my tone as bored as possible, as if I had just plucked the question from thin air.

"You can hear her now." Damon pointed to his ear and I listened to the muffled voices that were coming from deeper in the ground.

"Well, if we're going to die, I might as well know the truth. Why did you leave me?" I heard a female's voice and I smirked at the silence that followed.

" I knew you hated me. I thought you deserved better than having someone like me in your life." I heard a male's voice reply and I tilted my head when I thought I recognized it.

"I was hurt. You know, you turned your back on me when I needed you. But... I could never hate you, Tyler." _Tyler_. That was the boy at the bar the night I arrived, so he was a werewolf then... glad I didn't go home with him that night. Damon sighed and pushed the door open, it creaked open to reveal a blonde girl chained up against the wall, with Tyler opposite.

"Well, isn't this cozy?" I smirked again and looked at the two of them, the two of them both looked confused and Damon chuckled.

" Damon?" The blonde asked, "And who's that?"

"Care, it's the girl from the bar! How could you forget someone like her?" Tyler looked me up and down and narrowed his eyes appreciatively, Damon stepped in front of me and Tyler looked at Damon warily.

"That's what I thought, Lockwood." Damon smiled sarcastically at the seventeen year old and I rolled my eyes, I scoffed and and walked past my brother and went over to the blonde, she shrank up against the wall and I couldn't help but laugh.

"Relax, geez." I rolled my eyes and in one smooth movement I reached up and ripped the chains from the wall, the girl stood up and looked me up and down.

"Your wearing _that _on a rescue mission?" She cocked her head to the side and I looked down at my navy long sleeved top and short blue skirt and once-white heeled pumps.

"Guess I didn't know what I was gonna do today." I shrugged and turned back to Damon.

"Can we leave now? I'm bored and I know it's almost dark but the moon will be up soon..." I trailed off and looked at Tyler, Damon nodded and we turned to leave.

"Wait! What about him? You can't just leave him!" The girl protested and I sighed and hoped for Damon to keep going, but he turned with a cold look in his eyes.

"You heard Gabrielle, it's gonna be dark soon."

"I'm not leaving without him." The girl crossed her arms and shook her head stubbornly and Damon sighed.

"How fast can you get the hell away from here?" He asked Tyler.

"Damon, no." I told him quietly but he ignored me.

"I need to get to my family's cellar. I can lock myself up." Tyler looked confident but I shook my head.

"It's too risky. Someone could get-."

"I'll help." The blonde interrupted me and I sighed as Damon nodded and crouched in front of Tyler.

"Don't make me regret this." He said as he snapped off Tyler's restraints.

It was darker when we emerged from the tomb, I glared at Damon and looked up it the moon, which was faintly glowing in the dark sky. He shrugged and I rolled my eyes at his arrogance. I saw Matt was coming to and the blonde ran to his aid. "Hey, Matt!" She looked at her boyfriend and frowned, then looked up at Damon. "Did you hit him?" She demands and gets up and stalks towards Damon, he sighs and points to the wooden bullets and the gun beside Matt.

"He had an armed gun with wooden bullets!" He argued and sighed. Tyler suddenly growled behind us and clutches his chest, he looks up at the moon.

"It's starting!" He gasped and I sighed and narrowed my eyes at Damon.

"See? I _told _you we should have kept him chained up!" I ran a hand through my blonde wavy hair nervously and eyed Tyler.

"Grab boy wonder and let's go." He looks at the girl and she carefully picked him up.

"Come on!" I called and we jogged away from the tomb, Damon led the way and I kept glancing nervously back at Tyler and up at the moon, it was getting bigger and brighter as it slowly rose in the sky. We eventually slowed down to a walk, Tyler was getting worse and eventually Matt broke the tense silence.

"What's happening? Is he ok?"

"He better not wolf out on us." Damon warned the blonde and she nodded, a ringing phone pierces the silence of the cool night air and Damon answers it. "Bad time, little bro." I listen in and hear Stefan's worried voice answer quickly.

"What the hell are you doing?"

"Saving the day. I figured you'd understand. Just tell Elena to stay put."

"She's already gone, Damon."

Damon stopped walking, ignoring Tyler's cries of pain and took a slow, deep breath before answering.

"What?" His voice was low and edged with anger, I gulped at the tone and edged away from my brother a little more.

"Klaus came. He took her." I felt a pang of sadness for my youngest brother when I heard him say that.

"I'll take care of it." Damon hung up just as Tyler fell to the ground, I winced when I heard the tell-tale sounds of bones cracking and adjusting themselves, along with Tyler's panicked screams of pain.

"I don't know if I can hold it off. Get out of here." He looked up at the moon and waved his hand away, the blonde shook her head and slowly stepped towards him.

"Tyler, it'll be ok." She said gently but Tyler violently shook his head.

"Go!" He shouted and I nodded and tugged at Damon's arm.

"Damon, we need to get out of here..." I told him gently.

"What? No! We can't just leave him." The girl looked up at me pleadingly and I shook my head.

"Don't go any closer to him." I warned her. Tyler's eyes were yellow and savage, animalistic noises were emitting from his chest, he suddenly jumped and ran towards the blonde, without thinking I sped towards her and shoved her out the way. Tyler jumped on me and his mouth snapped close to my throat, I cried out when his newly grown claws slashed my arm. Suddenly, Damon appeared and wrapped his arms around Tyler's waist and he pulled him off of me, I cried out his name when Tyler turned his attention to my brother I couldn't see what was happening but I thought I saw Tyler bend down and... I felt a flash of anger and I got up and ran at the younger boy, I caught him with a kick to his shoulder and he was off of Damon. He got up and nodded towards me thankfully.

"Thanks, Gabrielle." He said and I nodded.

"Get out of here!" Tyler yelled as more of his bones started breaking.

"Get to the Lockwood cellar. If it held him in, it'll keep him out. If it doesn't... Use these." He gave the blonde the gun and bullets and she nodded and he pointed further into the woods. "It'll buy you a couple seconds. Go. Go!" The two nodded and they ran off into the dark.

Damon and I raced up the stairs to Alaric's apartment, Damon ran in and I crashed straight into the barrier of the threshold. "Dammit!" I hissed and kicked at the barrier. "Just go." I told him and crossed my arms and waited for him to return, I pulled my hair behind my ear and listened in to what Damon was saying to Klaus.

"I wasn't aware you'd been invited in." I heard Klaus say.

"I've come here to tell you that you have to postpone the ritual." Damon's voice drifted towards me and I tensed myself for Klaus's reply.

"Didn't we already have this conversation?" I relaxed a little when I heard Klaus's amused tone.

"Yeah, but that was before I rescued your werewolf and vampire and killed your witch." I groaned when I heard Damon's mocking tone, this was definitely not going to end well.

"Excuse me?" Klaus's tone turned darker and threatening.

"And you can kill me for it. I don't care. It was all me." My eyes widened and I felt tears pooling and slipping down my cheeks.

"Katerina, give us a moment." I heard footsteps and Katherine appeared at the doorway.

"Well well, the girl who doesn't know who turned her. What a surprise."

"Shhh!" I told her and trained to listen what was being said between the two vampires.

"...heard about you. The crazy, impulsive vampire in love with his brother's girl. I knew one of you would try to stop me. It was a just a 50/50 guess on who." I heard footsteps being taken and I bit my lip in fear. "The nice thing about werewolves is they tend to travel in packs. Need a closer look?" I heard a video being played and I made out the yells of someone crying in pain, and bones snapping.

"Jules." I heard Damon's voice of defeat and groaned.

"When you spend a thousand years trying to break a curse... You learn a thing or two. First rule... always have a back-up. Back-up werewolf. Back-up witch..."

"Back up vampire." Damon finished in realization and I put my hands on the barrier.

"I've got that covered too." Klaus replied and I heard a snap and I cried out Damon's name.

Katherine smiled at me "That didn't sound too good now did it?" She said to me and I looked at her.

"Burn in hell, Katherine." I spat.

"Ohhh ladies ladies, let's settle down now, hmmm? Gabrielle, twice in one day; I must be lucky." Klaus appeared with a smirk on his face and I wiped the wetness from my cheeks and glared at him.

"Where's Damon?" I asked him angrily.

"Now now, love. Your brother's fine, I can't use him anyway. His blood is impure for the ritual. Your's however..." I stepped backwards and turned to run, but I felt a pain and then blackness shrouded my vision.

**_Damon's P.O.V_**

I woke up to someone slapping me on the side of my face. "Hey. Damon. Hey. Damon!" I frowned and opened my eyes to see Elena.

"Elena? Ahhh, what the hell happened?" I sat up and rubbed the back of my neck.

"It's not quite Elena, Damon. It's Katherine come on, you need to get up. Klaus is gone, he went to do the ritual. I'm sorry."

"For what." I asked her suspiciously.

"He told me to tell you when you woke up..."

"Tell me what, Katherine..." I grabbed her arm and she winced slightly.

_**Gabrielle's P.O.V**_

I groaned and got up slowly refusing to open my eyes just yet, my hand went to the back of my head and I checked see if my neck was healed. "Hey, Gabrielle..." A shaky voice reached my ears and my eyes snapped open. A witch was drawing something onto the ground and when she finished flames lighted up around...

"Katherine..?" I asked, a little hopeful that I wasn't where I thought I was, the girl shook her head and I sagged.

"Oh god... no no no this can't be happening. This isn't happening!" I sobbed and made a run for it, I blurred away and looked back at Elenam I slammed into someone and I looked up to see Klaus.

"Klaus." I breathed and he smiled.

"Leaving so soon, Gabrielle?" His accent irritated me and I backed away, he smirked and walked towards me.

"I'm _not _going to be used in the ritual!" I screamed and he chuckled and looked at me.

"Actually - you are." His blue eyes dilated and my breath hitched in my throat and I nodded, I let him lead me back towards where Elena was.

_**Damon's P.O.V**_

I slowly stood up from the floor and anxiously paced the room. " He should have used me. Why didn't he use me?" I muttered but Katherine shook her head and shrugged.

"He couldn't. Damon, he said you were as good as dead." Katherine told me with surprising gentleness.

"What does that even mean?" I asked the woman I had once loved.

"What does that mean?" Katherine scoffed and pointed to my arm. "What is this, Damon?" I looked down at my arm and saw a strange dark mark surrounding torn skin, I looked at it until something in my head clicked.

"It's a werewolf bite."

**Author's Note:****Thank you to Brightlikethestars1864 for the reviews! Until next time...**

**- BlueEyed Angel-Girl**


	7. Chapter 7

**Author's**** Note:****Thank you to Sincerlyrosie for reviewing!**

**Once Upon A Time**

**Chapter 07**

**_Gabrielle's P.O.V_**

I shivered despite the warm flames that lapped around the circle that the witch had drawn, I watched Elena carefully as she tried to reason with the witch.

"You don't have to do this, Greta. I knew your brother and your dad, they were looking for you."

"Well I didn't want to be found, did I doppelganger?" She glared at Elena, I suddenly heard a moaning from the distance and I looked up and gazed into the distance.

"Who is that?" I ask Elena and she shrugs.

"I'm guessing the werewolf." The werewolf was staggering up clutching her sides, I looked at her and narrowed my eyes: I couldn't see any blood.

"What's happening to me?" The werewolf gasped to the witch, the witch smiled cruelly back.

"I cast a spell to slow your transformation. Your insides are trying to tear themselves free." The werewolf didn't reply, she just moaned in pain and doubled over, I saw the witch wave her hand and another circle of fire surrounded the werewolf. I shivered and looked at Elena.

"Well, at least I'll die looking beautiful." I attempted to lighten the mood but Elena just looked at me, behind us I heard a low chuckle and I whirled. "Klaus." I glared at him.

"Gabrielle, I feel like I've spoken to you more than I've spoken to the other's, please just shh." He put a finger to his lips and I shook my head.

"Please stop this. What are you going to really gain from this? A little bit more power? What's the point of it all? Family and love is stronger." I declared and he narrowed his eyes at me.

"It's rich coming from you, Gabrielle. You spent over one hundred years without your brother's, you've been alone all this time."

"No, I traveled with you and your family remember? You, Elijah and Rebekah were my family." I felt tears slip down my cheeks and Klaus just laughed.

"That, is truly the peak of sadness, Rebekah isn't here. Elijah doesn't seem to care and you are nothing to me." He finished cruelly and I didn't say anything more, the retort died on my tongue and I narrowed my eyes into slits at him.

**_Damon's P.O.V_**

I hissed in pain as I ran the mark under the tap, it didn't do much but the cooling was a welcomed sensation, Katherine stared at my arm. "So that's what a werewolf bite looks like."

"Yep." I didn't look up at her as I turned off the tap and rolled down my sleeve.

"It doesn't look bad." Katherine observed and I chuckled at her naivety.

"It will be." I stated simply as I stood up.

"So that's it? You're just... going to die?" Katherine eyed the area of my sleeve where the bite was and I shrugged.

" Well, that depends. You know anything about a cure?" I looked at her with hopeful, wide eyes but she shook her head. "Me either." I sighed and grabbed my jacket from on top of the sofa.

"145 years and no last good-bye?" She asks, a little hurt. I turn away and try to block out all the things she had said to me about Stefan. It failed.

"You don't get a good-bye." I told her and started towards the exit. Katherine sped in front of me and placed her hands on my chest.

"No. Don't leave mad." She whispers and I laughed.

"Us ending up on good terms isn't exactly on my bucket list, Katherine." I told her harshly and went to move around her, but she blocks my path again.

"Klaus told me not to stop him from taking Gabrielle. There was nothing I could do. I had no choice." She persisted and I shook my head at her.

"That's why I gave you the vervain. So you had a choice." I sighed, bored.

"It was her or me. I chose her." Katherine shrugged and I glared at her.

"I helped you. You owed me. Now when Klaus dies, you're going to walk out of here without a scratch and my only sister dies. Somehow you're the only one that wins. How'd that happen?" Anger bit my words and she actually flinched, making me smile a little in satisfaction.

"Be it partner or sibling. I didn't let love get in the way." Katherine retorted and I rolled my eyes.

"Enjoy an eternity alone, Katherine." I move past her and she doesn't stop me this time, I almost make it to the doorway but she called out.

"What are you going to do?"

"I'm going to offer myself as a replacement to Klaus."

"He won't take you. He saw your bite, he said that your blood is impure. I'm sorry, Damon. But Gabrielle's dead, there's nothing you can do about it."

I arrived at the boarding house and sighed, Katherine was right. Klaus wouldn't want me as a vampire sacrifice. My phone rang and I checked the screen before answering. "You're not gonna like what I'm about to say."

"Cut to the chase. Is the sacrifice happening or not?"

"It's happening. Gabrielle and I tried to stop it, but it got... Complicated."

"What was Gabrielle doing with you? Never mind - we're sticking with the original plan. We're meeting Bonnie right now."

"He's got her, Stefan."

"What? Who?"

"Gabrielle, me and her went up to where Katherine was and he snapped my neck and took her."

I heard a worried voice on end of the phone: _What is it, what's wrong?_ Elijah.

"He's going to use her as the vampire in the ritual."

"Oh my God." I hung up on him and went upstairs for a drink. As soon as I reached my door there was an angry little knock on the front door.

"Heard ya." I sighed, as I'm walking down the hallway my legs go weird for a moment and I stumbled. I clutched onto a side table and gained my composure, I pull up my sleeve to see that the bite had gotten worse, I opened the door and drooped when I saw John Gilbert standing in the doorway. "Great. I was just thinking about getting a bite to eat."

"Elena hasn't returned any of my calls for days. I need to see her." John entered the house and I reluctantly let him pass, I shut the front door and turn to look at him.

"Well, you're a day late and a daughter short, John."

"What are you talking about?"

"Klaus has her. Sacrifice goes down tonight."

"How could you let that happen? You were supposed to keep her safe. Wasn't that the sum total of your plan; to keep her safe?"

"She is safe. I fed her my blood."

"You what?!" The sudden look of anger on his face made me want to laugh.

"When Klaus kills Elena in the sacrifice, she will come back to life. Granted, as the thing you hate most in the world, but no one really cares what you think." I passed him and he grabbed hold of my shoulder, I grabbed him and blurred him up to the wall and slammed him against it. "You do not want to mess with me right now."

"You ruined her life. You know that, right?"

"I know, John. I took her choice, destroyed her future. Trust me, I get it. It actually gets worse." I sighed and rolled my eyes as I walked away from him.

"How could it possibly get any worse?" I heard him ask and I ignored him.

_**Gabrielle's P.O.V**_

I watched Klaus and Greta talk as Greta prepared her grimoire. "I've got the moonstone. I spent 500 years looking for this. I hate to part with it." Klaus said to the witch reluctantly, she takes it and holds it up to the sky, I couldn't help but snicker at the dramatics of it all - it was just an oval shaped white rock. I couldn't say this wasn't boring to say the least.

"The moon has passed its apex. Remember everything you need to do?" Greta looked at Klaus carefully and her nodded confidently.

"I remember."

Greta turns to a great stone bowl and waves her hand, flames are conjured and she drops the rock into the bowl. She starts chanting and sparks fly out of the bowl as the moonstone is destroyed, Jules is moaning quietly and I looked over at Elena; she was shaking slightly and I couldn't help but feel sorry for her. Klaus walks over and the circle of flame surrounding the werewolf dies down and fades away, the werewolf groans but looks up at us with terrified eyes.

"Everything I did... I was just trying to help Tyler." She sobbed and Elena tilted her head.

"Are you Jules?" Elena asked the werewolf and she nodded.

"I didn't want him to be alone!" She cried out in pain and I watched as her body erupted into spasms, I looked away and refused to look back.

"Shall we?" Klaus's voice was clear and loud and I didn't like it, I looked back to see the yellow-eyed Jules speed over and try to overpower the original, but he pins her to the ground and plunges his hand into her chest and it later emerges with the werewolf's heart, I look at the girls face and see a river of tears running down her face as she struggled with her last breath. I steal a look at Elena's face and I saw her crying but she wasn't moving. _She's in shock_. I thought to myself and I shrugged.

It would be my turn next.

_**Abandoned Witch House - General P.O.V**_

"I can't find any spells on resuscitation, what about you?" Bonnie Bennett asked her boyfriend Jeremy and he shrugged.

"There was something that Emily Bennett was working on, but she didn't say _how _she did it."

"Yeah, I saw that too, keep looking. We need to find something to save Elena." Upstairs a door creaked open and Bonnie slowly got to her feet. "Someone's here." She braced to attack but relaxed when Alaric Saltzman appeared in the doorway. "Oh, thank god it's you." She sighed in relief and Alaric gave her a stony smile.

"What are you doing here?" Jeremy asked his father figure.

"Elijah and Stefan are upstairs... Do you mind if I have a moment with Jeremy?"

"Yeah, sure. Of course."

Bonnie walks from the room and goes upstairs to where she could hear the muttered voices of Elijah and Stefan.

"So, what's the matter?" Jeremy asked Alaric.

"Jeremy... I just want you to know that if Elena wakes up a vampire, she'll still be the same..."

Stefan, Damon, Elijah and Bonnie were talking outside in hushed tones.

"Wait, I'm confused... why did he take Gabrielle?" Bonnie cast a wary look at Damon and Stefan, they both shared the same looks of despair and she couldn't help but feel sorry for them: they had only just got their sister back for one day.

"A punishment for meddling." Elijah answered with a sad voice, Bonnie had suspicions that Gabrielle knew Elijah well, because he seemed upset when Stefan and Damon had delivered the news.

"Klaus was going to use Tyler and Caroline. But Damon and Gabrielle rescued them." Stefan stepped into earshot, Bonnie looked over at Damon and saw that he was staring at the ground in deep thought.

"Then we need to go. Now. Before Gabrielle's been sacrificed. I can kill Klaus myself." Bonnie looked at the vampire's with steely determination but Stefan shook his head.

"Bonnie... If you use that much power, you'll be dead. We've already been through this. It's not an option."

"Stefan, you and Damon don't deserve to have your sister used in some ritual the day you get her back."

"Well, Stefan would agree with you." Elijah piped up and Bonnie looked at him confusedly.

"We're going to offer another vampire. One that he'll want more. Me." Stefan said quietly and over his shoulder Damon snapped out of his thoughts.

"What? Stefan, no. That is _definitely_ not an option." The raven haired vampire looked at his brother angrily and Stefan looked at Elijah.

"Go inside, you are not allowed to leave until Stefan has left." Elijah compelled Damon and almost immediately Damon complied and walked back into the abandoned old house.

_**Gabrielle's P.O.V**_

I watched in disgust as Klaus held the werewolf's heart over the flaming bowl and squeezed the excess blood into it, the flames roared in appreciation and Klaus looked over to Greta. "Does that mean it's working?" Klaus asked and his faithful witch nodded.

"It's working." Greta answered and I gritted my teeth together: I really had hoped that wouldn't work. I looked over at Elena and broke the awkward silence between us.

"Look Elena, I'm sorry I tried to kill you earlier... I thought you were Katherine." I apologized awkwardly and Elena's head shot around to look at me.

"It's ok, Gabrielle. I'm sorry that you have to die when you barely know your two brothers." Elena's voice was filled with compassion and I smiled sadly at her.

"I wish I could have told them about all the thing's I've done over the years - I've seen many wondrous and terrible things." I sighed and Elena started sobbing.

"I wish I could have been allowed to live my life normally. Don't get me wrong I would die before anything happened to my loved ones, but still-."

"You wanted to see the world, I get it." I wiped the tears from my eyes. "You wanted to see the world as much as I wanted to get to know my brothers."

_**Stefan's P.O.V**_

I watched the brightness of the moon against the darkness of the sky and sighed, I didn't want to lose my sister and the love of my life in the same girl. Gabrielle didn't deserve any of this, she just wanted to get to know her brother's again. I heard slow, measured footsteps behind me and I turned to see Elijah striding towards me. "Bonnie did the locator spell. They're at Steven's Quarry." He told me and I nodded.

"I'll head over there first and you'll follow with Bonnie when it's time." I told him with a calm tone, he observed me with admiration before replying.

"Just as the moon hits its final phase. She's to stay hidden until then. He cannot know that she's alive." I nodded in agreement, Klaus thinking Bonnie was dead was one of the most important elements of this plan. I turned and started walking away until Elijah called out to me.

"You're very honorable." He called out to me and I stopped and turned on my heel, looking at him interestedly before replying.

"Are you? Because this whole plan is, um, it's contingent upon your honor, Elijah." I challenged him and he looked back at me with his dark eyes.

"I won't fail you." He replied evenly but I shrugged.

"Klaus is your brother. I know I've wanted to kill my brother a thousand times. I've never been able to." I spoke to him truthfully, Elijah looked sadly at the ground before looking back up at me, an angry look in his eye.

"Well, Klaus was not my only brother. I had siblings; parents. I had a family. Over the centuries, Klaus hunted them down one by one and he took them from me. He scattered them across the seas where their bodies could not be found."

"You want revenge." I figured it out and Elijah nodded.

"Sometimes there's honor in revenge, Stefan. I won't fail you." His gaze bore into mine and I nodded once before turning away and leaving.

"Please end this." I called over my shoulder before disappearing into the woods. _I'm coming for you Gabrielle._

_**Damon's P.O.V**_

"I can't believe he's doing this." I ran a hand through my hair frustratedly.

"He wasn't going to let your sister die." Alaric answered me with a wary tone and I shook my head.

"We have a witch. She kills Klaus. No one has to die!" I shouted and Alaric nods his head in toward the room where Bonnie was.

"Except for Bonnie."

I feel a pain in my arm where my bite is and suddenly I had a brainwave. "I'll be back, I just need to see Bonnie for a moment, in private."

_**Gabrielle's P.O.V**_

Klaus approached the ring containing me and I shuffled back, he smirks. "Hello, Gabrielle." Out of the corner of my eye Elena stands and looks at the original.

"Let her go. I understand that I have to die, but she doesn't!" Elena protested defiantly and I couldn't help but send a grateful smile towards the doppelganger. I frowned when she walked closer to the circle edge, the flames flared up and Klaus looked at her.

"Careful" He warned her and Elena retreats a little.

"Elena don't bother." I sighed but the seventeen year old shook her head stubbornly.

"No, Gabrielle! You can't just die and leave Stefan and Damon behind! It's so unfair!" She looked at Klaus. "I followed your rules; I did everything you asked. I didn't run. Please!" But Klaus wasn't listening anymore, his attention was focused on the edge of the clearing.

"Well, well." Klaus murmured and he blurred over to where he was looking, I turned and gasped when I saw Stefan. I used my hearing ability to listen to the two males converse.

"I don't recall you being on the guest list." Klaus told my youngest brother.

"I'm here to talk." Stefan told the original.

"Very well, then" Klaus turned to look down at me and then he turned back to Stefan. "What can I do for you, Mr. Salvatore?"

_**Damon's P.O.V**_

"What do you want, Damon?" The young witch looked at me and I turned round to see if anyone was hearing.

"I heard your preparing for a binding spell for John and Elena." I looked at her closely and she nodded without replying. "I'm dying, I've been poisoned. I want you to speed up the poison's effect in exchange of sparing my sister's life." I looked at her pleadingly and she gazed back at me for a moment before tilting her head.

"How have you been poisoned, I'm going to need your infected blood to perform the spell." I sighed in relief and rolled the sleeve up on my arm, revealing the grotesque bite raw on my arm. "Oh my god, is that a were-." She gasped and I clamped a hand over her mouth and nodded. She looked up at me in what seemed to be admiration before calm seeped back into her eyes and she walked from the room. "I'm just going to get the grimoire, the spell only requires your blood."

I paced the room hoping Gabrielle wasn't dead yet, or Stefan. Bonnie came back and she pointed to the middle of the room, she took out some chalk from the back of Emily's grimoire and hastily sketched a flattened oval shape around me. She held out a candle holder to me and then tapped her wrist, I nodded and bit into the veins on it, blood dripped out and I caught it in the candle holder. She proceeded to dribble the blood around the circle and then picked up her grimoire, before she started she looked at me with sad brown eyes. "Are you sure you want this? You will still be alive when Gabrielle dies, but the poison in your system will double in strength... basically this time tomorrow you won't be here." I looked back at her and thought about losing my sister and I nodded.

"Do it."

_**Gabrielle's P.O.V**_

I kept my eyes trained on Klaus and Stefan as they conversed, their voices drifted down to my ears. "You don't need to kill Gabrielle. I'll take her place." Stefan's voice was laced with worry but I also sensed determination as he tried to persuade Klaus to switch me around.

"Oh, I don't know. I rather appreciate the symmetry of three women: three goddesses, sacrificed at nature's altar." I saw Klaus smirk and he started circling Stefan like an artist would view a fine sculpture. Elena's hushed tone broke my concentration and I looked at her confused.

"Huh?" I asked her with my head cocked to one side.

"I asked you what are Stefan and Klaus saying." Elena looked at me strangely and I hesitated before telling her.

"He wants to take my place in the ritual." I murmered as I listened to what they were further saying.

"Don't play games with me. You'll get what you want either way." Stefan's tone was even and I saw his eyes flicker down to me.

'_Run_.' I mouthed to him but he shook his head.

"You're quite the hero, aren't you? I've heard that about you." Klaus sounded amused and I narrowed my eyes at him.

"Just make the trade. Me for Gabrielle." He sounded irritable and I tensed at Klaus's reply. It didn't come. I look towards Elena and I can see the horrific look in her brown eyes, she gapes up at Stefan and I found myself wishing I had died in 1862 like I was supposed to.

_**Damon's P.O.V**_

I had to admit: I was impressed at Bonnie's power. She had completed the spell in minutes and I watched fascinated as she completed the binding spell with John. After a few moments she stepped back and looked up at me. "It's done." She murmured and I grinned. "That's it? Let's go." I walk out the room and wait for Bonnie to follow, the bite in my arm was faintly throbbing and I was trying to ignore it as best as I could. Bonnie exited the room with a sad look on her face but I ignore her, as we walked up the stairs I stopped and turned to her. "Thank you for performing that spell for me, I don't know what I'd have done if my sister had been sacrificed for some insane ritual." I told her earnestly she smiles gently back at me and shrugged.

"It was simple, really. But you're welcome." She shrugged again and I left it at that, when we reached upstairs Elijah immediately looked over to us.

"It's time." He called over and Bonnie and I both nodded, we turned and exited the house, Alaric and Elijah close behind.

"All right. I got the weapons in the car." Alaric started to say but Elijah held up his hand.

"Bonnie is the only weapon we need." He stated and a I grinned, we turned and watched Elijah exit the house but when Alaric went to leave he hit an invisible barrier.

"Bonnie! What is this?"Alaric demanded Bonnie, outrage flashed through his eyes, nevertheless Bonnie gazed back at him.

"I can't put anyone else at risk." She said but the history teacher shook his head.

"I can't stay here with Elena and everyone else out there!" He protested angrily but Bonnie shrugged.

"I'm sorry."

"You can't do this!" His heated gaze landed on me. "Damon?" He pleaded but I shook my head.

"Sorry, buddy. She's right." I shook my head sadly and the three of us walked away, ignoring Alaric's cries of protest.

_**Gabrielle's P.O.V**_

Stefan and Klaus came down the hill and stopped in front of the both of us. "Quite the predicament. You know, it's funny, all this talk about preserving family, and here's Stefan, granting your wish."

"Stefan…" Elena sobbed out and Stefan looks at her warmly.

"It's okay." He assures her and I shook my head.

"No it's not, Stefan. You should have run when I told you to." I told him angrily, Klaus chuckled and looked at Stefan.

"Your sister's right, you know." Before anyone could react Klaus blurred behind Stefan and pulled a stake from his pocket, he rammed it into Stefan's back and I screamed, Elena hid her face in her hands.

"No Stefan, no!" She cried out and I dropped to my knees, Klaus rips out the stake but purposely leaves a big chunk in his back, I sigh in relief when I saw he wasn't going to die.

"I have other plans for Stefan. I want him alive. But for now..." Klaus reached down and snapped his neck, Stefan fell to the ground unconscious and despite everything I smiled in relief. "Whenever you're ready, Greta." He turns to his witch and my smile drops again - _Oh yeah, I'm still going to die... _Greta started chanting again I shivered when the ring of fire dispelled around me.

"Well, Elena... It's been nice knowing you. Tell Damon and Stefan I-." I was cut off when I felt a pain in my chest and I screamed, I looked up from my chest and saw Klaus grinning as he pushed the stake in deeper.

"No!" Elena cried and I felt tears begin to pool in my eyes but I forced them back down and glared at Klaus, I felt myself weakening and then I closed my eyes and I dropped to the ground, the breath escaping me for the last time.

"_**Damon's P.O.V**_

Bonnie, Elijah and I watched quietly as Gabrielle and Elena stood helplessly in their circle's of fire, Stefan and Klaus were in front of them and I tilted my head to listen in quietly. "... not, Stefan. You should have run when I told you to." My sister's tone was angry and she was shaking her head at him, I heard Klaus chuckle and then he looked over at my brother.

"Your sister's right, you know." Klaus told Stefan and I gasped when he blurred behind my brother and shoved a stake into him, my fingers gripped the dirt and I felt my fangs lengthening. Elena had her face hidden in her hands and Gabrielle was screaming for Stefan. ""I have other plans for Stefan. I want him alive. But for now..." I gritted my teeth when Klaus snapped Stefan's neck and order his witch to hurry up. I watched in horror when soon after the witch started chanting the fire around Gabrielle disappears. Gabrielle turned to Elena and tears started in my eyes when I saw the terrified look on my sister's face, nevertheless she took a deep breath and I strained to hear what she was saying.

"Well, Elena... It's been nice knowing you. Tell Damon and Stefan I-." Her goodbye was interrupted by her screams, my hands flew to my head when I saw Klaus grinning sadistically as he pushed the wooden stake further into her chest.

"No!" I heard Elena cried out and tears slipped silently down my cheeks when I saw tears beginning in my sister's eyes too, but she pushed them down and managed to glare at Klaus,she slipped but Klaus caught her and he gently lay her greying body on the ground and kissed her forehead after her eyes closed. I felt a hand on my shoulder and I jumped as if I'd been electrocuted, I looked round and saw Elijah look at me with sadness in his eyes, I gave him a small smile and turned back when I heard the witch chanting. Silhouetted against the orange glow of the firelight I saw that Stefan had finally woken up and I watched as he tried in vain to get the stake piece from his back, when he gives up he looks over to Elena and sees that she is shaking in fear, fresh tears were running down her cheeks and Stefan caught sight of Gabrielle's corpse.

"No." I heard Stefan whisper and Elena looks at him.

"I'm sorry, Stefan." She called to him but Stefan shook his head, he spotted Klaus walking over to Elena and my breath hitched in my throat.

"It's time." Klaus told her and the fire faded away into the air, Klaus extends her hand towards her but Elena gets up and walks passed him, completely blanking him. I let out a low chuckle despite everything. Stefan struggles to get up from the ground but fails again. Klaus pulls back some of Elena's hair and looks at her. "Thank you, Elena."

"Go to hell." She whispers and Klaus struck on her neck and started taking her life force, after a few seconds her eyelids flutter and she falls to the ground, dead. Elena's blood drips from Klaus's mouth and the flame from the large stone bowl extinguishes, something inside me snaps and I struggle to stay still in place.

"I can feel it. It's happening." I heard Klaus mutter to himself and then he turned to his witch and the witch nodded in satisfaction. Klaus looks up at the full moon. Suddenly, his bones begin to crack and he starts to transform. In the moonlight I could see his eyes were yellow like a werewolf's, but he still has the glowing dark veins under them, like a vampire does.

"Go!" Elijah calls and Bonnie jumps up and starts chanting, directing her hands towards Klaus, the witch looks towards Bonnie but I blur behind her and snap her neck. Hard. She fall's to the ground and I nod to myself in satisfaction, I kneel down and look sadly at Elena's limp form, I carefully pick her up like a china doll, but then a pain surges from my arm and I cry out and almost drop her, I carry her over to Stefan and lay her down beside him.

"Elena." Stefan whispers heartbroken and reaches out to carefully stroke her cheek and I reach down to Stefan's back and rip the remainder of the stake that was embedded in his back. Stefan groans in pain and I reach down to help him up but he shakes his head.

"I need you to get her out of here!" Stefan called over the howling of the storm Bonnie's powers had created.

"What about you?" I shout back to him but his gaze lands murderously on Klaus.

"I'm not leaving until he's dead. Go!" He told me and I nodded, I carefully lifted Elena's body and with one look back at Gabrielle's I blurred off back to the abandoned witch house. I sighed when I reached the house, the sun was just starting to rise over the trees, I lay Elena down on a discared table.

"If you come back as a vampire, I'll stake you myself. So don't." I whispered to her. and gently reached out and pulled her hair away from her face. "Because I can't stand the idea of you hating me forever." Heavy footsteps gave away the sound of Alaric and Jeremy racing up the stairs, they both appeared at the doorway.

"How is she?" Jeremy asked anxiously and I didn't look round, I continued wiping the tears and makeup stains from her cheeks.

"I don't know yet." I replied in an empty voice.

"What about Gabrielle?" Alaric asked me and I shrugged and looked back at him with sad eyes, he nodded in understanding and left the room quietly, Jeremy followed close behind. I look intently at Elena's face, trying to detect any change of state. She gasps back to life and I look at her closely.

"Are you..?"

"I feel fine." She smiled at me and I breathed a sigh of relief.

_**The Next Day - Damon's P.O.V**_

I watched as Elena, Jeremy and Jenna lay flowers for John, all three of them seemed genuinely sad that John had died. Stefan bought back Gabrielle's body and told us the news of Elijah's betrayal, she had died for nothing. She didn't come back to life like Bonnie said she would, she remained dead, Stefan and I were a little way away from the group of mourners holding our own flowers. Alaric walked over to where we were standing, he looked sombre. "Are you going to lay those flowers on John's grave?" Alaric said to us quietly, I turned to look at him and shook my head.

"No offence but these aren't for John, Ric." I told him and pointed to a stone that had our sisters name on it, the stone was old and decrepit. It had been there since 1862 after all, only now it wasn't empty anymore. Alaric's eyes fell on the stone and nodded slowly. "Stefan, you first." I told my younger brother, he looked at me for a moment before nodding slowly and walking over and laying the flowers carefully on the foot of the stone. He let out a shaky breath and came to stand next to me, his eyes were teary and he was sobbing quietly.

"It should have been me, Damon." Stefan said to me, I turned to look at him in shock before shaking my head.

"Don't say that, Stefan. After you left I did something. It didn't work."

"What did you do?"

"I got Bonnie to cast a binding spell on Gabrielle and I, but it didn't work." Stefan looked at me incredulously.

"Why would you do that?" He asked in a shocked tone.

"Because... Tyler Lockwood bit me the night Gabrielle and I tried to disrupt the ritual."

"What?"

"He had Gabrielle pinned and he was gonna bite her so I threw him off of her and then he... Nipped me..." I pulled the sleeve up on my arm revealing the bite, it had gotten worse and looked red and angry. Stefan grabbed my arm and examined the bite, Alaric had wandered back to Jenna and was consoling her.

"We'll find something. A cure." Stefan's green eyes looked deep into mine but I shook my head.

"There's no cure, Stefan." I told him quietly, we looked off at Elena and watched her hug Jeremy sadly, I was a little surprised so many people cared about John's death.

"We kept Elena human, right? We found a way when there was no way. Hey." Stefan tapped my shoulder and I turned to look at him. "I will do this." Stefan looked at me with an almost angry glint in his eye.

"You wanna do something for me? Kepp this from Elena, the last thing she needs is another grave to mourn." I told my younger brother and pulled my sleeve down as Elena walked up holding a single red rose.

"When we were at the ritual, she was scared. She tried to run but Klaus compelled her to stay, she was compelled to participate, Stefan." She looked at my younger brother sadly. "Even if you had taken her place she'd have done everything in her power to stop you. Gabrielle apologized for attacking me, and then she said that all she wanted to do was get to know her brothers again... She told me to see the world and then I wasn't as scared anymore, because she was strong... It's just Klaus was stronger." Tears streamed down her face as she said this and she put the rose on Gabrielle's grave, Stefan and her hugged tightly and the looked at me expectantly.

"Damon, it's your turn to put the flowers down." Stefan told me and looked at the grave stone. I looked at the stone for the longest time before shaking my head.

"No, I can't do this... It's too much for one day." I gave them a look and handed Stefan the flowers before leaving the cemetery, I could feel my brother's eyes on my back watching me as I walked away.

**Author's Note: Thank You for reading! I know it got all sad at the end but oh well! Please review and etc.**

- Blue-Eyed AngelGirl


	8. Chapter 8

Author's** Note: Thank you for the reviews!**

**Once Upon A Time **

**Chapter 08 **

_**Damon's P.O.V**_

I watched Elena through her bedroom window as she finished writing in her diary, there were tears in her eyes when she put it down and then she walked out the room, I opened the window silently and slipped in, I heard her check on her brother and then her aunt, she looked tired when she saw me as she entered the room. "Don't worry, Klaus won't come back for your family if he thinks your dead." I told her whilst nodding my head in the direction of Jeremy's bedroom, she crossed her arms and looked at me.

"What do you want?" She sighed, I looked into her doe eyes for a moment before answering.

"I want to apologize." I told her seriously, struggling not to wince as the bite in my arm started to throb in pain.

"Damon..." Her eyes widened and she looked at me pitifully. I hated that.

"Please. Elena, feeding you my blood, I was wrong." I got up from my bed and walked towards her slowly.

"Yes, you were." She nodded and didn't take her eyes of mine.

"And I know I don't deserve your forgiveness, but... I need it." I really did wince in pain this time, and Elena noticed, she gave me a small smile before sighing.

"And I need some time, maybe a lot of time." Elena touched my arm gently and I nodded slowly in understanding.

"Sure. Of course, take all the time you need." I told her and turned out the room. _So I was going to die without her forgiving me for almost ruining her life. Great._

She went to the bathroom without another word and I blurred from the room and went back to the boarding house quietly.

**_Gabrielle's P.O.V _**

I walked through Mystic Falls quietly, I looked in all the windows of the buildings but they were all empty, the entire town was deserted, I looked down at myself and saw that I was wearing the same navy dress that I wore in 1862 to my engagement party. "Hello?" I called out confusedly, sighing when no one replied. It was deathly quiet, I turned around a corner and saw a figure standing at the end of the road. "Hey! You!" I called to the figure but he didn't reply, I ran towards the figure and fell into his arms, I looked up at his face and recognized the same dark eyes creased in a smile looking down at me. "Kol." I breathed and he smiled wider, showing pearly white teeth.

"Gabrielle, darling. It's only been a few minutes since I left. What's wrong?" He stroked my face but I frowned.

"Kol, look around. It's 2014." I gestured to the modern architecture and looked back at him, his face looked hurt as he looked down at me.

"You forgot about me, didn't you?" He grabbed my arms painfully and shook me roughly, tears streamed down his face. "Didn't you?!" He demanded sadly.

"Ow! Kol you're hurting me. I don't understand." I cried and struggled against his vice-like grip.

"How could you, Gabrielle? I saved your life and you waste it like this?" He glared at me and shoved me away, I tripped over the dark skirt of the dress and fell to the ground, suddenly Tyler was on top of me, his eyes yellow and he was growling angrily, claws swiped at my shoulder and I cried out as he tore through my skin.

"Get _off_ me." I cried and threw him off me in disgust, I stood up slowly and looked around Mystic Falls again, only it wasn't Mystic Falls. I was standing in the streets of Chicago in 1915, bodies littered everywhere and I was looking at Elijah and Klaus, Elijah was shaking his head at me sadly.

"Oh Gabrielle, what have you done?" Elijah shook his head at me and I wiped blood from around my mouth, widening my eyes in confusion.

"This didn't happen like this... It's not real." I shook my head and squeezed my eyes shut, in my head someone was whispering _murderer _over and over again. I clamped my hands over my ears and screamed. "Not real!" I cried and tears fell down my face. I opened my eyes and saw that Elijah and Klaus had disappeared, Chicago had disappeared and I was back in normal Mystic Falls, people were walking down the streets ignoring me, I turned round and then there was a shocking pain in my chest, I screamed and looked up at Klaus grinning at me evilly, he pushed the stake in deeper and I looked down at my hands turning grey.

I sat up with a shock gasping for breath, my head hit something hard and I groaned. It was dark and I was in a tight position, I reached my hands up and I hit something wooden too close for comfort above my head. _C__offin. I'm in a coffin. _My breathing started to quicken and I was shivering. Everything came back to me, I remembered being staked by Klaus and my hands went to my chest, I was fine. I knocked on the coffin lid but I didn't hear anything reply, the lid was making an odd noise as if something heavy was against it. "Oh my god, I'm underground." I whispered and knocked against the lid harder.

_**Damon's P.O.V**_

I looked up from the cold concrete floor to the bars on the window where Stefan was looking at me through. "What's the plan, Superman?" I asked him sarcastically as I glared up at him.

"I'm gonna find a way out of this." Stefan replied almost immediately, I scoffed and shook my head at him.

"Oh, right. A miracle cure. Good luck with that one." I sighed.

"I got Bonnie looking for something, anything."

"Always the hero, Stefan. Just tell me good-bye, get it over w-." I gasped as a blinding pain surged from my arm and I coughed violently, blood spattered on the floor and I felt a pain in my heart and I cried out.

"Lie still. Conserve your strength." Stefan looked a little sick as he walked away quickly, I groaned and dragged myself to the nearest wall and leant against it, the pain was still coursing from my arm and it was almost as if it had doubled...

"Oh my god..." I flashed back to what Bonnie had told me before we did the spell:

_"Are you sure you want this? You will still be alive when Gabrielle dies, but the poison in your system will double in strength... basically this time tomorrow you won't be here."_

I dragged my phone from my pocket and fought through blurred vision as I scrolled through the contacts, it rung three times before I heard a concerned voice down the phone. "What is it? What's happening?" Stefan's voice drifted to me, I coughed before answering.

"Stefan! The spell Bonnie did... worked... Gabrielle is... alive." I managed before coughing harder, I heard Stefan sigh.

"Damon, you're hallucinating. I'm with Bonnie right now I'm trying to help you..."

"Put Bonnie on!" I pleaded and I heard a faint rustling before Bonnie's hesitant voice came down the phone.

"...Hello?"

"Bonnie! The spell worked, I'm dying faster... Gabrielle's buried alive..." I retched again before hearing a faint gasp on the other side of the phone, I felt a piercing in my wrist and I cried out and squeezed my hand in response, the phone in my hand broke into pieces and I looked at it before couching up blood again.

_**Abandoned Witch House - Stefan's P.O.V **_

"You've done a séance before, right? Contacted Emily Bennett. Maybe one of the witches might know how to help Damon." I looked at the young witch with pleading eyes before she nodded.

"Let's just hope they want to." Bonnie murmured, my phone started ringing and I looked at the caller ID before answering.

"What is it? What's happening?" I asked my brother quickly, I winced slightly when I heard him violently coughing before his weak voice sounded on the phone.

""Stefan! The spell Bonnie did... worked... Gabrielle is... alive." I rubbed my forehead unhappily and mouthed _I'm sorry_ to Bonnie, she shrugged and I gave her a grateful smile.

"Damon, you're hallucinating. I'm with Bonnie right now I'm trying to help you..."

"Put Bonnie on!" Damon begged into the phone, I sighed before handing the phone out to Bonnie.

"Here, he wants to talk to you." I told her before she nodded and spoke carefully into the mouthpiece.

"...Hello?" Bonnie asked into the phone, I used my enhanced hearing to listen to what Damon was saying to her.

"Bonnie! The spell worked, I'm dying faster... Gabrielle's buried alive..." I heard Damon gasp urgently to her before hearing him retch, Bonnie's chocolate eyes widened and she gasped, Damon suddenly cried out and then the dial tone sounded in the speaker.

"Damon? Damon!" Bonnie called into the phone but there was no response, she dropped the phone in shock and I looked at her.

"Are you... ok?" I asked her carefully, her eyes raised to mine and she shook her head slowly.

"No..." She whispered, tears rolled down her cheeks but she quickly composed herself. "We need to do the spell - quickly." She began chanting and I heard a whispers flit around the room.

"Bonnie? Bonnie?" I shook her gently and she opened her eyes, only the warmth had drained from them, they reminded me lots of...

"Emily." Bonnie stated and I nodded slowly. "Why have you come here, Stefan?" Emily spoke in her own voice, I shifted a little uncomfortably but replied all the same.

"I need your help. I need to know if there's a spell that can heal a werewolf bite." I ask her seriously, Emily shook her head.

"No. Nature ensures a balance to everything." Emily stated and I frowned at her.

"Is that true... or are you just saying no because it's Damon?" I looked at her questioningly but Emily shrugged.

"Perhaps it is his time to die." She raised an eyebrow at me and I frowned at her.

"No. That's not balance. That's punishment."

"I will not give you what you want." Emily stated and I widened my eyes at her.

"So you're saying that there's an answer to give? Please, if you know something, just tell me. Help me save my brother." I looked deep into her eyes, she shakes her head and then Emily screamed and slumped to the floor, I nudge Bonnie's shoulder gently. "Bonnie? Are you ok?" She slowly got to her feet and looked at me with scared wide eyes.

"They don't want us here. They think I'm abusing their power."

"They know something. There's an answer. They just don't want to tell me." I sighed and looked at her sadly.

"I heard them say a name." Bonnie told me gently and I grabbed her shoulders and looked at her.

"What was it?" I asked her urgently.

"Klaus." She whispered, I blinked and nodded before turning and walking towards the exit.

"Where are you going?" She called out to me.

"Where do you think?" I told her grimly and sped off out the house.

_**Salvatore Boarding House - Damon's P.O.V**_

I stared at the broken fragments of the phone for what seemed hours until I blinked, I was in my house but it looked like it did when I was a human, I passed an open door but stopped when I saw Katherine, she was getting ready for something. "Mr. Salvatore, spying on a lady is a sign of very poor manners." She didn't look round, I was surprised she knew I was there but I shook it off and entered the room.

"My apologies Miss Katherine." I bowed slightly and she sent me a coy smile.

"But since you are here, my corset strings seem to be knotted. I wonder if you can undo them." She blinked up at me and I gasped slightly at her beauty, heart thumping, I walked towards her.

"Of course." I complied and started carefully untying the smooth silk ribbons oh her dress, I was reminded of my sister's dresses as I carefully loosened the knots on her corset, my hand brushed her skin gently.

"Will you miss me while off defending the South?" She asked in a soft voice, I stopped undoing the ties and looked deep into her dark eyes.

"I shall." I whispered quietly.

"Then I hope you will hurry back. I fear I will be lonely with you away." She touched my cheek and I couldn't help but raise an eyebrow at her.

"I would think Stefan should be company enough." I smirked.

"Is it so wrong for me to want you both?" She sighed and I blinked at her in amazement.

"Damon." I hear Katherine behind me and I look around in confusion, Elena was stood there in the doorway.

"Elena?" I rubbed my eyes in confusion, she was actually here.

"Don't you see? She was toying with you. All you had to do was say no, walk away. You had a choice." Elena gestured to Katherine and I and I tilted my head in confusion. Katherine touched my cheek and I looked back at her.

"Promise me that you will return quickly." She pleaded.

"I promise."

I gasped back into the present and look at the phone pieces again, I cautiously pulled back the sleeve of my jacket and revealed the bite, it covered most of my upper arm and was radiating a feverish heat, I sighed and closed my eyes.

_**Alaric's Apartment - Stefan's P.O.V **_

I walked into Alaric's apartment and found Katherine sitting on the bed, she narrowed her eyes and looked at me. "Hello, Katherine." I looked at her with a faint smile.

She gets up from the bed and gives me a sarcastic smile. "Two days, I've been waiting. I'm supposed to be free of Klaus' compulsion by now. He's supposed to be dead!"

"We ran into complications." I shrugged.

"Complications?" Katherine echoed, confusion etched onto her features.

"Doesn't really matter. I just need to find Klaus. Do you have any idea where he might be?" I brushed her question off but in an eye-blink I was held against by her, I looked passed her shoulder at the two newcomers, Katherine looked around too.

"Klaus, you're back. Look who decided to come for a visit." She looked back at me and I felt her hold on my throat tighten.

"You just keep popping up, don't you?" Klaus narrowed his eyes at me.

"I need your help... For my brother." I looked at the hybrid almost sternly.

"Well, whatever it is, it's gonna have to wait a tick. You see, I have an obligation to my brother that requires my immediate attention."

"You understand how important family is, or you wouldn't be here. My brother gave me his word that he would reunite me with my own." Elijah looked at me but before I had a chance to retort Klaus cut me off.

"And so I shall." Klaus stabbed Elijah with a white oak dagger and Elijah's eyes widen in shock as he decays. I blink and the Klaus has me against the wall again. "Now, what am I gonna do with you?" He snarled and I struggled to breath, I cried out when a stake is shoved into my torso and the hybrid leaned in close to my ear. "Do you feel that? It's scraping against your heart. The slightest little movement and you're dead." He growled menacingly and I groaned in pain, from behind Katherine tried to reason with Klaus.

"He's just trying to help his brother." She tried.

"The witches said you had a cure. Make me a deal. Just give me the cure, and I'll do whatever you want." I gasped, Klaus observes me for a moment before ripping the stake out of me, he lets go and I fall to the floor in pain. Klaus walks over and begins to pour some blood in a glass, seemingly unperturbed about almost killing me.

"Trouble is I don't know if you'd be any good to me the way you are now. You are just shy of useless." He narrows his eyes at me and takes a sip from his glass, I rub my bloodied torso and look away.

_**Salvatore Boarding House - Damon's P.O.V**_

I stare at the bite-mark growing bigger, wincing every now and then as a jolt of pain flows through me. I hear footsteps and struggle to turn my head and look up into the window. "Well, that looks bad." Alaric said and I scoffed at the obvious.

"Trust me - It feels worse. My subconscious is haunting me, Ric. Please tell me you have something for that." I feebly managed and Alaric chuckled and places a glass of scotch and my ring on the ledge.

"Double shot." He said and poured more alcohol into the glass.

"Great." I sigh and struggle to get up, he grimaces and after a few more moments he took away the drink and ring and opened the door, I stayed there and watched as he handed me the glass. "Cheers." I mutter and down the drink, Alaric nods and walks back to pick up the bottle. "So my brother sent you for suicide watch?" I asked and Alaric shrugs.

"He's just trying to help." Alaric faced me and I rolled my eyes weakly in response.

"He's doing what he always does, trying to right the wrongs of the past." I chuckle, a wave of pain hits my arm and my chuckle turns into a scream of abject agony. "You should want me dead. I fed Elena my blood and almost killed her." I breath heavily to him, Alaric shakes his head and pours himself another drink.

"I don't blame you for that." He told me before taking another drink.

"Oh, sure you do. Let's not forget I turned your wife into a vampire. You must really hate me for that one." I muttered under my breath but Alaric still overheard.

"Ok, give me your glass. Neither one of us is drunk enough for this conversation." He snatches the glass from my weak grip and pours another drink for me, as he's handing me the drink back I make a quick decision, my hands flashed out and I grabbed hold of his neck, ignoring the pain coursing through my arm.

"Kill me, please." I whispered to him, spittle dribbled from his neck and he shook his head.

"Screw you." He manages and I see the vervain dart too late, he stabs it through my leg and I immediately let go. He stood up and moved towards the door, I look up and see my sister standing in the doorway with a look of pity on her features.

"No, Gabrielle."

"Gabrielle's not here anymore, Damon." She told me and I blinked and shook my head.

"How did you get out from your coffin?" I murmur before closing my eyes and laying my head down on the floor. After a while I raise it and Alaric's there again. "I need blood. I need blood." I told him and started coughing violently, Alaric nodded and bolted the door before running off. I sighed and heard a gun click accompanied by a stern female voice.

"Where's Damon?" The voice said. Liz.

"You know, now's not a good time, Sheriff. Trust me." I heard Alaric trying to reason with the sheriff. A man appeared at the door window and called back to Liz.

"Sheriff, over here." The man called but Alaric argued back.

"I wouldn't go in there!" Alaric warned them, I sighed and closed my eyes again.

"I just wanna talk to him." Sheriff Forbes assured Alaric. I raise my head and Sheriff Forbes is at the door, she begins undoing the bolt and Alaric tries again.

"I wouldn't go in there!" Alaric warned again. I take a deep breath and use the last of my strength to speed behind Liz, she enter's the cellar and I appear behind her.

"Liz." I spoke her name and she turned around and I shove her against the wall, ignoring the bouts of pain the violent movements caused, I speed out the cellar and outside the house.

**Alari****c's**_** Apartment - Stefan's P.O.V **_

I was leaning against the wall waiting for my torso to finish healing itself, Klaus was finishing the last of the blood and Katherine had sat in a chair and was watching me. "I heard about this one vampire, crazy bloke, always on and off the wagon for decades. When he was off, he was magnificent. 1917, he went into Monterrey and wiped out an entire migrant village... A true ripper. Sound familiar?" Klaus looked at me and I felt guilt flash through me.

"I haven't been that way in a very long time." I told him.

"Well, that's the vampire I can make a deal with. That is the kind of talent that I can use when I leave this town." Klaus smirks at me and sets down his glass, my torso finishes healing itself and I pull myself up onto my feet, still using the wall for support. "Katerina, come here." Klaus orders the vampire, she obliges and moves to stand next to Klaus, when she's close enough his eyes turn yellow and he bits her arm, Katerina screams and jumps back, looking at her arm in horror.

"Aah! Aah! No. No... No. No. No." She cries in pain and looks at Klaus in hurt. He simply smiles and the veins appear under his eyes again as he bites into his wrist, he grabs the back of the girl's head and forces the blood down her throat, I looked at the werewolf bite on her arm in amazement as it begins to heal and fade away into nothing.

"Your blood is the cure." I stated and looked at the hybrid, Klaus grinned.

"Gotta love Mother Nature." He smirked like a spoilt child and I fought down a shudder of disgust. "Now... Let's talk, you and I." He led me to a chair and we both sat down.

**_Mystic Falls Cemetery - Damon's P.O.V_**

I staggered through the rows of grave stones weakly, the sun was starting to dip in the sky and I didn't know how long I had left. I reached the stone I wanted and started digging at the dirt, I could hear a faint knocking sound accompanied by a voice:

"I can hear someone out there! Let me out, please! I don't think I can take another minute in here!"

I scrabbled at the dirt harder until I feel a presence behind me, I turn slowly and saw... "Katherine." I said her name and then she disappeared, Jeremy appears from a row of grave stones.

"Damon!" He called my name and I squinted to see who it was. Jeremy.

"Where's Elena? I need to see her now." I called to him weakly and swayed dangerously.

"Ok, let's get you out of here first, all right?" Jeremy walked towards me slowly and I nodded, I let him lead me away from the cemetery and cast a look back at one of the grave stones, frowning as I tried to remember why I was there.

_**Mystic Falls Cemetery - Gabrielle's P.O.V**_

I didn't think I could cry anymore. My throat hurt from differing between shouting for help and sobbing. I stopped knocking when I heard something I had been hoping to hear for hours. Footsteps. They were slow and uneven, but they were footsteps all the same. The steps stopped and I heard something hit the ground, I knocked on the coffin regardless and screamed as loud as I could. "I can hear someone out there! Let me out, please! I don't think I can take another minute in here!" I yelled and I heard a soft sound of grass being torn up: I was being dug out, I sighed in relief and waited, using my vampire hearing to try and understand what was going on up there. After a few moments I heard two sets of footsteps walking away from where I was, I waited a few more minutes before a sense of abandonment crept in and tears pricked my eyes again.

**_Mystic Grill - Damon's P.O.V_**

Jeremy led me into a dimly lit building which I recognized as The Grill, Jeremy still held onto my arm and I watched as he began dialling a number. He put it to his ear and I stood there, bored. "Hey, it's me. I'm with Damon at The Grill." Part of me wondered who he was talking to, but the other part of me was too tired to care. i heard footsteps and I looked up to see Sheriff Forbes training her gun on me, I blinked and sped out of the building just as she fired.

**_Alaric's Apartment - Stefan's P.O.V_**

I watch Klaus drip his blood into a clear glass vial, I didn't take his eyes of his and he didn't take his eyes off mine. Katherine had retreated to the far side of the room away from Klaus, but she still looked on curiously, Klaus held the vial up. "There it is. You want to save your brother? How 'bout a decade-long bender? And I have big plans for you when we leave this town."

"I'm not like that anymore." I shook my head at him, Klaus shrugged and sped over to the sink.

"Well, that's too bad. You would have made a hell of a wingman." He sighed dramatically and started pouring the contents of the vial down the sink, I couldn't bear it and I put my hand out.

"Wait." Klaus stopped pouring and sped back over to where I was sitting.

"Now that's more like it. I want you to join me for a drink." He threw a blood bag at me and I caught it and looked down at it, feeling the shape of the bag change as the blood rolled around in it. I sighed and ripped a small corner from the bag and took a sip, I looked up and Klaus grinned.

"Finish it. All of it. You do everything I say, and I save your brother. That's the deal." Klaus told me, I sighed: _I can handle one bag. _I drained the bag and sighed as the veins below my eyes uplift and the feeling of human blood coursing through my veins was... euphoric. Klaus throws another blood bag at me and it lands at my feet. "Again." He ordered, I couldn't stop myself as I ripped the bag open and drank, Klaus watching me with a strange glint in his eyes.

_**Mystic Fall's - Damon's P.O.V**_

I slowed to a clumsy stop next to the monument in the town center and grabbed hold of one of the supports, I coughed heavily and more blood spattered on the ground. I saw someone running through the crowds of people and I called out to her weakly. "Elena!" She turned around and looked shocked when he saw me.

"Damon." Her voice sounded scared, I gave her a weak smile before collapsing. "Hey, come on. Come on. We have to get you out of here." She grabbed me and put my arm around her neck, supporting me.

"Where are we going?" I asked feebly.

_**1864 **_

I was running after Katherine through the fields near our vast estate, the sun shone down on us warmly and I couldn't take the smile from my face. "Where are we going?" I called out to her.

"Everywhere!" Katherine giggled and flung her arms out wide, I made my legs go faster and was an arm's length away from her.

"Wait for me! I want to come with you." I called out to her, suddenly my foot hit a rock and I tripped and sprawled onto the hard ground.

_**Present Day**_

My foot hit a rock and I fell to the ground. Hard. Elena cried out in surprise and she suddenly let go of me, I coughed again onto the ground and closed my eyes.

_**1864**_

I jump up and Katherine and I enter a forest, I catch her whilst she was unaware and I pinned her up against to a large oak tree.

_**Present Day**_

I opened my eyes a fraction and Elena was stooped and looking down at me with a concerned look in her eyes. "Hey. Hey. Relax. We need to get you out of here." She told me gently, I rushed and pinned her against a post, pain etched onto her delicate features.

_**1864**_

"You're faster than I thought." Katherine narrowed her eyes at me in appreciation and I gave her a gentle smile.

"Why must you always run from me?" I asked her sadly, Katherine giggled and looked away before looking back at me.

"Because I like to be chased." She whispered to me as if she was sharing a secret, she giggled and I couldn't help but laugh along with her.

"Then let me chase you forever. Feed me your blood." I asked her seriously, she shook her head at me, her dark eyes growing serious.

"I will not feed you, Damon." She sighed at me, my face fell and I looked at the ground in disappointment; she chuckled and pulled a hair pin from her hair. "If you want it, take it." She drew the pin across a space on her neck and blood welled from it. "It is your choice to make." She looked at me coyly and a sly grin spread across her beautiful face.

_**Present Day**_

"I choose you, Katherine." I looked deep into her doe eyes.

"Look at me." Katherine's hands went to my chin and she tilted my face to look at her. "Hey. It's Elena. It's Elena." Katherine told me, I ignored her.

_**1864**_

"Promise me you will not tell my brother." I asked her in a soft voice.

"I promise. It will be our little secret." Katherine's lithe fingers danced over my lips and I leaned towards the dark red dripping from her neck.

_**Present Day**_

I leaned towards Katherine's neck but her hands pushed against my shoulders, holding me back. "No. Damon. No." Katherine pleaded, her eyes watering up a little.

"I have to..." I looked at her and moved her hands from my shoulders and moved closer to her neck. "If we are to be together forever." I whispered and bit into her neck gently and started sucking her blood.

"Damon, stop. You're hurting me. Damon, you don't have to do this. Please stop. You're hurting me!" Katherine protested and pushed harder against my shoulders, I blinked and carefully drew away from her neck and looked up.

"Elena?" I asked in confusion and my hand went to my lips and I felt a warm liquid on them, when I drew my fingers away blood was specked on them. I gasped as pain hit me again and I collapsed and blackness clouded my vision.

_**Salvatore Boarding House**_

I awoke to the feeling of soft sheets under my skin and I opened my eyes a fraction, Elena was laying next to me reaching a white towel to my forehead. "Elena." I whispered weakly and sighed.

"It's ok, Damon. I'm right here." Elena murmured to me comfortingly.

"Elena, get out of here. I could hurt you."

"No. You won't. I'm here until the very end. I'm not leaving you."

"Get out of here." I told her before crying out as pain flashed through me.

"Hey, hey, hey, hey. Hang on. Shh. It's ok. It's ok. It's ok." Elena's cooling hands held the sides of my face and I sighed and tried to block out the pain.

"It's not ok. It's not ok. All those years, I've blamed Stefan. No one forced me to love her. It was my own choice. I should have looked harder for my sister. I gave up on her too quickly."

"Shh." Elena soothed and stroked her hands through my hair.

"I made the wrong choices. You tell Stefan and Gabrielle I'm sorry. Ok?" I pleaded her, a grimace appeared on Elena's face.

"Damon...I don't know how to tell you this but... Gabrielle's gone, Damon. She knew you were sorry." Elena whispered and I shook my head.

"She's not... she's alive. I saved her, in exchange of dying faster." I told her, looking up at her with wide, tired eyes. She bit her lip and nodded.

"...Ok Damon, I'll find her and tell her..." She told me and dabbed the cloth against my head again.

_**Alaric's Apartment - Stefan's P.O.V**_

I tried to count the amount of blood bags littered the table around me as I finished off another, I gave up counting and closed my eyes at the sweet taste of blood. "You're very cooperative. It's almost as if you're enjoying it." Klaus interrupted my feeding and I opened my eyes and looked at him as I threw down the now empty blood bag, the hybrid pushes another bag towards me but I shake my head.

"No more. Not until you give me the cure." I said firmly, Klaus frowned.

"Not until we make a deal. It's your choice, Stefan. You can either remain here living your life in Mystic Falls, or you can embrace what you truly are, leave town with me, and save your brother's life." He moves the bag towards me again and I reach out and take it, drinking from it and closing my eyes again.

"That's the spirit." I heard Klaus say. "Sweetheart..." Klaus said in a simpering voice, I still didn't open my eyes as he continued to talk to Katherine. "Take this over to Damon and come right back." He ordered and my eyes snapped open as I finished the bag, I threw it down and looked up at the hybrid pleadingly.

"You want me to leave?" Katherine asked, I could see a grin tugging on the corners of her lips and I narrowed my eyes.

"No!" I protested angrily as Klaus nodded.

"Yes and if I were you..." He gave her the vial and Katherine sped out the room, I jumped up from the chair and ran a hand through my hair in frustration. "I'd hurry." I sat heavily back down in the chair and glared at Klaus.

"She'll never take it to him."

_**Salvatore Boarding House - Damon's P.O.V**_

"This is even more pitiful than I thought." I scoffed weakly and Elena edged a sad smile.

"There's still hope." She assured me.

"I've made a lot of choices that have gotten me here. I deserve this. I deserve to die." I told her truthfully.

"No. You don't." Elena argued.

"I do, Elena. It's ok. Because if I'd have chosen differently, I wouldn't have met you. I'm so sorry - I've done so many things to hurt you." I reached down and gently took her hand in mine.

"It's ok. I forgive you." Elena whispered and squeezed my hand comfortingly.

"I know you love Stefan. And it will always be Stefan." I sighed and stroked the outside of her hand with my thumb, Elena rested her head on my chest and I continued. "But I love you. You should know that."

"I do." The tears that she had been holding back fell from her dark hazel eyes and dripped down her face, dampening my shirt. I didn't care.

"You should have met me in 1864. You would have liked me." I smiled faintly and looked out our intertwined hands. She sniffed and raised her head and looked at me.

"I like you now. Just the way you are." She fold me firmly, I looked at her eyes and closed my eyes as another spasm of pain passed through me. Suddenly her lips were against mine and she was kissing me.

"Thank you." I whispered, my eyes still closed as she pulled away.

"Your welcome." She said and I tensed as the bite in my arm sent another wave of pain crashing through me.

"Well, it's me you should be thanking." A sly new voice piped up, I groaned and opened my eyes hoping it wouldn't be - "I mean, I'm the one who brought the cure." Katherine shrugged, stood there at the end of my bed holding a vial filled with a dark red liquid. Elena jumped up from the bed and rushed over to Katherine urgently, the vampire looked at her doppelganger confusedly. "I thought you were dead." She narrowed her eyes at Elena.

"I was." Elena nodded, Katherine ignored her and walked over to the bed and sat beside me.

"You got free." I whispered up to her weakly.

"Yep. Finally." She rolled her eyes and gave me a sultry grin, then her hand reached towards me and she tilted my head back and poured the vial down my throat, the bite on my arm cooled down and the pain ebbed away. I felt the strength return and I sat up slowly, Katherine stroked my cheek and then stood up and walked away from the bed.

"And you still came here?" I asked her as I pushed the covers slowly away from me, testing my arm carefully.

"I owed you one." She turned round and gave me a cute smile and a wink, she started towards the door.

"Where's Stefan?" Elena tapped bet shoulder, Katherine turned to her and gave her a questioning gaze.

"Are you sure you care?" Katherine asked her with a sarcastic glint in her eyes.

"Where is he?" She repeated with a stern look at the old vampire.

"He's paying for this." She held up the now empty vial and looked over to her doppelganger, I sighed and fell back down onto my pillows. "He gave himself over to Klaus. I wouldn't expect him anytime soon."

"What do you mean he 'gave himself over'?" Elena asked confusedly.

"He just sacrificed everything to save his brother, including you. It's a good thing you have Damon to keep you company. Good-bye, Elena. Oh. It's ok to love them both. I did." She threw Elena the vial and strode out the room, I heard a whooshing sound and I knew she was gone. Elena stared at the vial and looked back at me with tears in her doe eyes, I got up and walked over and embraced her.

_**A Warehouse - Stefan's P.O.V**_

I watched as some people backed away from a coffin where I presumed Elijah's daggered form was laying. "I suppose, brother, you've been reunited with our family." The hybrid lightly smiled to himself and looked back at the two men who had carried Elijah. "Put him with the others. We're leaving town tonight." He ordered, when Elijah had been carted away my phone vibrated and a message flashed up from the screen, the text was from Elena:

_**Damo**__**n's ok, where are you? xo**_

"So... Did Katerina make it in time?" Klaus asked me, I looked up from the phone and turned it off quickly.

"You won't be seeing her again, you know." I told him.

"Because she's on vervain? I've been around a long time, Stefan. I rarely get played for a fool. Besides, she won't get far. You'll help me see to that."

"What is it you really want from me?" I gave him a bored look and made all emotion drain from my tone.

"All will be explained in time. Once we leave this tragic little town." His British accent emphasized on the word _tragic, _making me shudder inside.

"Then are we done? Can we go?" I wanted to get this payment over and done with, return to Elena and try and control my impulsive brother.

"Not quite, you see. I have a gift for you." He made a beckoning gesture and a girl walked over. "Come here, sweetheart, don't be afraid." He pulled back her hair and looked up at me, his blue eyes gleaming. "See, I wanna make sure you honor our deal... That you'll be of use to me." His blue eyes turned red and he savagely bit down on the girl's neck, she screamed and I heard her heartbeat pump faster, Klaus let go of her neck and looked up at me, the veins running underneath his demonic gaze. "I could have compelled her to behave, but a real ripper enjoys the hunt." He released the girl and she ran off crying out for help, I couldn't stop myself as I sped over to the girl and forced her to stop, I sighed as my eyes turned and I bit and drank from her neck, relishing in the sweet taste of warm blood. I dropped her lifeless body and looked over to the hybrid, he was grinning at me. "Now we can go."


	9. Chapter 9

Author's** Note:** Th**ank you so much for all the feedback, Season 3! Yay :D**

**Once Upon A Time  **

**Chapter 09**

_**Gabri**__**elle's **__**P.O.V**_

I winced once again to myself in the darkness of the coffin. I was certain it had been well over a month since I had 'died'. Again. And I was thirsty, it hurt a little when I swallowed; I had the most unbelievable dry throat. I rubbed my wrists and quietly sung to myself in the dark, trying to block out the pain of hunger.

_**Tennessee - General P.O.V **_

A young woman walked out of the house, it was dark out and she was covered in sweat. "Rudy!" She called and whistled, she tried once more. "Come on, it's too hot to make me come looking for you!" A dog's chew-toy was on the ground and she stopped to pick it up, when she turned back towards the house there was a man in front of her, he was blonde and blue eyed.

"I'm so sorry, I didn't mean to scare you." The man spoke with a strong southern accent, the girl eyes him suspiciously.

"Can I help you?" The girl asked.

"Yeah, my car hmm, my car ran out of gas a couple of miles back. Eh I feel like I've been walking forever yours is the first house I come to so I was just hoping I could use your phone?" He gestured to the open dusty dark road, and looked back at the girl, adopting a pleading look at the girl.

"Don't you have a cell phone?" She asked him in a civil tone.

"Huh, yeah." He got his phone out his pocket and showed her the blank screen. "Battery died. Look I promise I'm not a serial killer I just wanna use your phone."

"Sure." The young woman sighed and walked up to the house.

"Soo... I can come in?" The man inquired, the girl turned her head to him but didn't stop walking.

"No, I'll get the phone and bring it out to you." She told him firmly, the blonde haired man frowned, annoyed.

"I thought you country folk were supposed to be more trusting." The man's southern accent died and became British. The woman frowned and put a hand on her hip.

"I'm from Florida." She told him with narrowed eyes, she turned and started to jog to the house but gasped as the man appeared in front of her.

"Well, that explains it then. Now show me a little southern hospitality, sweet pea." His blue iris's dilated and the girl's eyes went glassy and she nodded slowly.

Another young girl was busy in the kitchen washing up the dishes after dinner, she heard footsteps and a smile crept onto her lips. "I bet you a hundred dollars that dog ran off to a house with air conditioning." She laughed at her own joke and turned and gasped at what she saw: her friend was stood with a blonde haired stranger holding onto her arm. "What's going on?" She looked between her friend and the stranger nervously.

"Please don't be alarmed. I was told Ray Sutton lives here." The stranger had a strong, confident British accent and he looked like he commanded the attention in a room.

"He's almost never here. He's on the road mostly." She didn't look the man in the eye but instead spoke to his feet in fear.

"But I expect he makes it home, once a month." The girl dried her soapy hands on a towel and blinked and he smiled. "I thought so, where is he now?" He pressed, she didn't answer and his gaze hardened. "If I have to make you tell me it's going to be infinitely more painful for you." The stranger ended the threat with a small smirk, the woman bolted into a run and sprinted for the front door, she opened it and screamed at the sight of a dark haired man with an intense gaze standing there outside the door. The blonde stranger holding her friend came up behind her.

"I love it when they run!" The blonde laughed to his dark friend, the girl looked back to the British stranger with tears in her eyes.

"He's in Toll. It's near the border. A bar called Southern Comfort, it's on highway 41." A sob broke her voice and tears streamed down her cheeks.

"Thank you, love." He turned to the girl in his grip and stroked her hair and leaned down to her ear. "Now may my friend come in?" He whispered in her ear, the girl nodded, her expression matched her friends.

"Yes." Her voice was shaking and it came out as a whisper. The young girl nearest the door had a look of disquietude on her face as the dark haired man strode through with a grin on his face, the British man pushed her roommate to the man.

"Kill this one quickly." He looked at the girl nearest the door and narrowed his eyes at her. "Make that one suffer, I'll be in the car." The British man walked out into the dark with a grin on her face.

_**Salvatore Boarding House - Damon's P.O.**__**V**_

I sighed and lowered myself deeper into the bubble bath, it was warm and soothing: just what I had needed after almost dying nearly two months ago. Andie was doing her makeup in the mirror and I went to pour myself another glass of champagne, but the bottle was empty. "We're out of champagne." I told her, I saw her reflection in the mirror roll her eyes and scoff.

"No, _you _are out of champagne. I don't drink in the morning." She corrected as she started applying lip gloss on her mouth.

"Well, would you be a dear and get-."

"I think you can probably get it yourself." She turned around and winked at me. "I'm not your slave." She told me and I frowned and then shrugged, pulling myself out of the warm, soapy bath.

"You're dripping a little." She pointed to the bubbles sliding from my body and falling onto the floor, I gave her a childish smile and a nod.

_"_Mmmhmm." I said before walking,out the room to fetch more alcohol, _today is gonna be a good day. _I thought to myself as I walked, still dripping wet, out of the bedroom and down the stairs to where the champagne was kept. I smirked when I saw Elena with her back facing me and made a quick decision. "Good morning."

"Hey, I was gonna..." She turned round and saw my lack of clothing. "Oh!" She covered her eyes and I grinned, she spun back around away from me. "You heard me, you knew that I was here."

"Yeah, you should learn to knock. What if I was... indecent?" I shrugged, she groaned and pulled a blanket off the sofa and threw it to me, I caught and, still grinning, I wrapped it around my waist. I saw her doe eyes peeking through her fingers and then she removed her hand.

"Sheriff Forbes gave me another location to check. Memphis." She pulled out a note and showed me.

"Another dead end, you mean." I rolled my eyes but Elena narrowed her brown orbs and shook her head in disagreement.

"You don't know that." She argued, I sighed and walked closer to the girl.

"You're right, Elena. This could be the one. After almost two months this could be the one clue that tells that Stefan is alive and well and living in Graceland." I told her sarcastically.

Elena pulled the note away from me and looked at me stubbornly. "Fine, I'll go by myself." She walked towards the door, I frowned and sped in front of her.

"Right, and let Klaus know you're tracking him. He thinks you're dead; let's keep it that way." I ripped the note from her grip and glanced over it.

"It's a new lead, Damon. We haven't had one in a while." Elena told me and I nodded.

"Okay, I'll check it out. If I find anything I'll call you." I walked away still holding the note.

"But..." I kept walking and ignored her, when I reached my room I walked straight to my closet doors, I pinned it up next to all the other leads that covered the wall. Andie had finished her make up and was combing her hair.

"They moved on to Tennessee." I called over, the girl stopped combing her hair and looked over to me.

"Huh, that other victim you had me looking in to had family in Tennessee." She looked at me weirdly and I nodded slowly.

"Which one? Pensacola?" I asked.

"Yep." She nodded, I had a sudden idea as Andie walked over and joined me next to the closet.

"Up for a road trip?" I asked when she gave me a quick peck on the cheek, she shook her head.

"Ha, no can do, I've got to work. But I can see if I can get you an address, see you at the party."

"Get me that address." I told her before she left the room.

_**Southern Comfort Bar - Stefan's P.O.V**_

I watched Klaus walk up to Ray Sutton, his next werewolf target. "Ray?" He asked, his tone acting open and friendly. "Ray Sutton?"

"Who wants to know?" Ray, was eyeing the hybrid suspiciously.

"I've been looking everywhere for you. We started in Florida, Pensacola. I met a young chap there who you used to work with before you moved to Memphis, now he directed me to two lovely young women. And they led me here, to you." Klaus's innocent tone took on a drastically dark turn and I saw fear seep into Ray's eyes.

"I think I'll be going now." Ray attempts to stand up and leave but Klaus clamped a hand on his shoulder, I saw the wince in Ray's features and I shuddered inwardly.

"Not so fast mate. You only just got here, now your type are very hard to come by." Klaus smirked at the werewolf, Ray got up and moved past Klaus, and with a heavy heart I stepped in his path.

"I wouldn't do that." I looked at him and gave him my most menacing look, pushing him back into his chair.

"My friend here is a vampire, he compelled everybody in the bar so don't look to them for any help. I however, I'm something else, a different kind of monster, I've got some vampire, I've got some wolf." Klaus's grin grew wider as he saw the confusion blossom on the werewolf's face.

"You what?"

"A hybrid Ray, I'm both. You see I want to create more of me, now you being the first werewolf that I've come across in many a moon, pun intended Ray. I need you to direct me to your pack. So, where can I find them Ray?"

"You can't compel me, it won't work." Ray stuttered, panic flashed in his eyes and I could see his hands shaking, I sighed and Klaus looks over at me and nods, turning round as I take a pouch out of my back pocket I look over to the barman.

"Can you bring out the darts please." I told the barman, he nods and I turned back to the werewolf. "Tell you what Ray, We're gonna play a little drinking game, something I like to call truth or wolfsbane." I held up the pouch and showed him the wolfsbane, Ray gulped and I fought to keep the guilt down.

"Oh, this is gonna be fun Ray." Klaus smiled and patted Ray on the back, Ray's eyes filled with tears and I kept my eyes down at my shoes.

_**Tennessee - Damon's P.O.V**_

I pulled up next to a lone house in the middle of nowhere, my phone started and I checked the screen, Elena's name flashed up on the screen and I ignored it. "Elena?" Ric asked, I nodded and made a face. "I don't know why you don't just come clean and tell her where we are."

"Because Andie said this was a half lead and I don't want to get her hopes up." I replied, I knew Ric spoke some sense but I didn't think I could take another crestfallen look from her face. I wished my sister was still here, she could have helped me keep Elena occupied. Elena told me that she left after she went and spoke to her, apparently she had gotten herself out of the ground...

_**Salvatore Boarding House (Almost Two Months Ago) **_

Elena walked in the room whilst I was buttoning up my shirt. "No sense of privacy, huh? Or do you just really wanna see me naked?" I flashed her a grin and Elena rolled her eyes.

"Grow up, ok? You're over a hundred years old, Damon." She told me and I laughed.

"So, today we need to A- Find Stefan and drag his ass back here. 2- Save my sister from the grave. Literally." I smiled and made towards the door, Elena stepped in my path and placed her hands on my chest.

"Damon, wait..." Elena faltered and I tilted my head at her.

"What?"

"Gabrielle... dug herself out of her grave last night after I left... I told her that you were sorry and then she said... she was leaving town and that she had other business to deal with." Elena stuttered and I absorbed the knowledge slowly.

"Oh." I said quietly and looked at her sadly. "Great. That's great... One less problem to worry about I guess." I told the girl and went to move past her, she let me pass but she called me back.

"Damon!"

"Yep?"

"Are you... ok?" She asked me carefully.

"Fine. Just fine." I walked out the room and downstairs to get a drink. _Scratch that, I'm not going to find Stefan today..._

**_Tennessee - Damon's P.O.V _**

I shook my head at the memory and started walking up to the porch of the house with Ric. "Yeah, well they're all half leads, and I'm your accomplice. What do you want me to say to her, I'm practically living there." He told me and I half smiled.

"Still living on the couch?"

"You know, I keep waiting for them to kick me out but they don't. I don't know why, it's not like I'm helping or anything." We looked behind the house and at the car parked in the driveway.

"Mmmhmm." I agreed absent-mindedly.

"It's quiet." Ric admitted in a soft voice.

"Yeah. Too quiet." I nodded and we walked back around to the front of the house, stepping quietly on the porch steps. Ric opened the door and strode in, I tested the door with my hand and smirked when I walked in. "Oh yeah." I looked at Ric triumphantly and he rolled his eyes but smiled back all the same. We crept down the hallway and the Ric looked left, his eyes widened in shock and I followed his gaze, two bloodied girls were sat upright on the couch, their eyes open but unseeing.

"Ugh. Vampire for sure." Ric muttered disgustedly.

"_Stefan_ for sure." I corrected and Ric looked confused.

"How do you know?" He asked as I walked up to the corpses sat on the couch, the girls looked young and I sighed and explained.

"It's his signature; there's a reason they call him the ripper. Feeds so hard he blacks out and rips them apart, but then when he's done, he feels remorse. It's the damnedest thing," I put my foot on the girl with dark hair's legs. "He put the bodies back together." I pushed my foot down and the girl's head rolled from her pale shoulders and rolled onto the floor.

"Back together?" Ric sounded shocked and I looked back and saw that he had gone a little pale.

"Definitely Stefan." I nodded grimly.

_**Salvatore Boarding House - Elena's P.O.V**_

I watched as Caroline and Tyler worked together to help me fix the house up for my birthday party later tonight, I took some napkins from her and set them near the drinks table. "I feel like I have to fight with Damon everytime we get a lead on Stefan." I told my blonde friend earnestly.

"Maybe he doesn't want to find him." Tyler piped up from where he was hanging decorations.

"Tyler!" Caroline looked at the boy with a shocked look, Tyler merely shrugged and continued.

"What? He's into you, isn't he?" He looked at me again, I looked at him back and replied evenly.

"The only reason Stefan left with Klaus was so that he could save Damon's life. I mean, trust me, Damon wants to find him."

"But you kissed him? Probably screwed with his head." Tyler shrugged as if the look Caroline shot him was nothing. I smiled and looked at the ground awkwardly, when I look back up Caroline is looking at me apologetically.

"Sorry!" She bit her lip nervously.

"Don't worry about it, look yes I kissed him but was a...it was a goodbye kiss. I thought he was gonna die." I sighed, Tyler frowned.

"What about Gabrielle, because the last I heard she wasn't dead."

"She _is..._dead." I told him with my arms crossed, "When Damon was hallucinating he kept saying that he had saved her life, and that she was buried alive." I caught Tyler's grimace and I shook my head. "But don't worry, Tyler. Gabrielle isn't starving underground or anything... I told Damon that she dug herself out and that she left town."

"Wait... what?"

"After Damon got better he still believed that she was alive... I had to lie to him to make him stop acting crazy." I explained, my phone beeped and I saw a missed call notification light up. "I missed a call from Bonnie, I'll be right back." I walked from the room and left Caroline to lecture Tyler.

_**Tennessee - Damon's P.O.V**_

I found a tub of gasoline in the kitchen cupboard. "Win." I said to myself as I screwed off the cap and poured a trail from the kitchen to the living room, pouring it on the bodies and around the sofa.

"What are you doing?" Ric asked.

"Covering their tracks, clearly they have no intention of staying in the dark. But I do." I informed him and threw the empty bottle down on the ground, Ric moved away from the bottom and the floorboards creaked. "Hang on." I stooped and pulled the carpet up, revealing a metal door, I pull it open and inside reveal chains and a set of shackles screwed to the wall. "Well what do you know, werewolves." I said in a surprised tone, Ric and I walked from the room, I used the kitchen matches and lit one and threw it in the living room, it instantly caught up in flames and Ric and I left the burning household.

_**Southern Comfort Bar - Stefan's P.O.V**_

I grimaced inwardly at the sight of Ray Sutton chained to a wall, darts were sticking out of various parts of his body and he was groaning in pain. I dip the darts in water spiked with wolfsbane and chuck it at Ray again, Klaus is sitting next to me watching. "Ray, you can end this right now. Just tell me where your pack gathers for the full moon." I told him.

"I can't." He spat and writhed in pain, struggling against his restraints.

"I know, I know. You live by code and all that, but see he's not gonna let me stop until you tell me. And I do whatever he says so, that's the way it goes around here." I pointed to Klaus and he held his drink up and tipped it to me, smiling, I kept my attention focused on Ray but I eavesdropped when I heard a pair of high heels go up to Klaus.

"Hello mister Klaus. I have some more information for you, You told me to tell you if I saw anything. I heard the guys had spotted Damon at the farm house." She whispered and panic flitted to me. _Damon can't be here_.

"Well thank you, Claudine, keep up the good work." Klaus whispered back to the girl and I fought with my instincts not to turn around and give the game away. _What game__? You'd lose if you even were playing one with him._ I sighed and walked over to Klaus.

"My brother still on our trail?"

"He's getting closer, I'm gonna have to deal with that." Klaus sighs dramatically and fear spiked through me, my hand involuntarily shot out and grabbed his arm.

"No, no, no. Let me handle it."

"Why should I let you leave?"

"Because you know I'll come back."

"Do I?"

"You saved my brother's life. I'm in your service."

"Ah, you sound so tedious and indentured, aren't you even having the least bit of fun?" He gestured to Ray bleeding against the wall but I ignored him.

"I'll make sure that my brother doesn't bother us anymore." I promised him quietly and walked away from the bar.

_**Salvatore's House - Damon's House **_

"I am every parent's worst nightmare. I am the chaperon teacher from hell." Ric moaned as he took another swig from the bourbon bottle, we were outside on the porch watching drunken teenagers slowly take over my house.

"I _love _high school parties." I sighed and Ric handed me the bottle.

"Isn't Andie supposed to be coming?" Ric asked and I checked my phone for the time.

"10 o'clock broadcast, should be here in a little bit." I told him and watched as Elena exited out the house, "Hello, birthday girl."

"Drink!" She pointed to the bottle in my hand and snatched it from me, taking a long drink from it before answering Ric and mine's silent question. "Jermey's smoking again." She explained after taking the bottle away from her lips.

"Is his stash any good?" I asked, Elena glared at me.

"You're an ass." Elena looked over to Ric. "Talk to him, please. He looks up to you." And with that she walked back into the house, I sighed and looked over to my buddy.

"You're screwed."

"Awhh." He groaned and looked glumly at the ground.

_**Salvatore Boarding House - Later, Damon's P.O.V**_

I looked down at my phone whilst Ric finished the bourbon bottle. "Andie wants me to pick her up." I told him.

"Your fake, compelled girlfriend wants you to be a chivalrous boyfriend." Ric told me seriously, I shrugged.

"Well, it's a complicated dynamic."

"Yeah."

"Well, hold the fort down, will ya?"

"You mean the fort full of my drunk history students?" Ric asked rhetorically, I laughed.

"Drink more, it'll feel less weird." I advised before hopping into my car and leaving.

_**Action News Studio - Damon's P.O.V**_

I walked into the darkened studio cautiously. "Andie?" I called, refusing to let the doubt stew in my stomach, my phone rang and I picked up. "Party Central." I joked into the mouthpiece.

"Where are you?" Elena's voice sounded annoyed and I picked up on it.

"Ummm... by the punch bowl." I lied.

"Don't do that Damon, don't lie to me! I saw your closet." _Shit._

"Oh... Oh, I gotta go break up beer pong." I hung up quickly and turned it off before putting it away in my pocket, I turned around a corner in the building and saw Andie's purse lying in the middle of the floor. "Stefan." I looked out of the corner of my eye to see my baby brother standing beside me.

"Hello, Brother." I frowned when I recognized that he'd used the line I'd use on him when _I _first came into Mystic Falls, still, I refused to be beaten by my _brother_.

"You don't write, you don't call." I shot back.

"Need you to stop following me. Causing some problems." He shrugged and I frowned back.

"With who? Klaus? Are we supposed to care with he thinks?"

"What you're supposed to do is let me go." Stefan looked at me as if it was the most obvious thing in the world.

"Saw your latest artwork in Tennessee. Walking a fine line there my friend. Keep that up and there will be no saving you."

"See the thing is, I don't need any saving. I just want you to let me go."

"Nah, I got a birthday girl at home that's not gonna let me do that." I replied and gave him a look, Stefan raised an eyebrow and nodded.

"You know, maybe I haven't made my point. Hey, Andie you still there?"

"Andie?" I asked confusedly.

"Damon? I can't move Damon. He told me that I can't move." I heard Andie's voice call from a stand up by the ceiling, she was crying.

"No,no,no, it's okay, Andie. Stay calm." I called up to her in a comforting voice and then shot daggers at Stefan. "Not cool brother!"

"Aw, come on! A little bit cool. Huh? Hey, Andie. You can move now." He said, looking at me with a simpering smile on his annoying little face.

"No! No,no,no,no,no no!" I protested and looked up to catch Andie safely, Stefan grabbed me and pushed me against the wall, I tried to get out of his grip but I found that I couldn't, Andie hit the ground with a sickening crunch and Stefan's hands went up to my neck.

"I said, let me go." He told me as I kicked uselessly below him. He released my throat and I sped over to Andie, but she was already dead, I looked back to Stefan but he was already gone.

_**Salvatore Boarding House - Damon's P.O.V**_

I sighed as I entered my bedroom and saw Elena, I shot her an annoyed look. "What? What are you doing here?" I asked her irritably, struggling to purge the image of Andie's broken body from my mind.

"Why didn't you tell me? Why did you keep it a secret?" She demanded angrily, gesturing to the notes and news clippings inside the closet.

"Can we not do this right now? I'm having a really bad night." I sighed but Elena crossed her arms and gave me a stern look.

"All summer, every single time I came to you with a lead, you made me feel like an idiot for having hope." She hit her forehead with a palm to exaggerate this and I sighed and nodded in agreement.

"You were an idiot. We both were." I told her, Elena looked shocked.

"Tell me what you know, Damon."

"I know you need to get back to your party, Elena." I dodged the question.

"We're supposed to be in this together. Why didn't you tell me that you've been tracking Klaus' victims?" She demanded angrily.

"Because they're not Klaus' victims, Elena, they're Stefan's!" I exploded, the words tumbling from my mouth, Elena went quiet for a few seconds, before shaking her head in disbelief.

"What?" Her voice was softer and quieter than it had been moments before.

"He's left a trail of body parts up and down the eastern seaboard." I told her harshly.

"No. You're wrong." She disagreed.

"I've seen it happen before. He's flipped the switch, full blown ripper." I continued, ignoring her eyes filling with tears.

"Stop it, Damon." She put her hands over her ears and shook her head.

"No, you stop, Elena! Stop looking for him. Stop waiting for him to come home. Just stop! Stefan is gone and he's not coming back. Not in your lifetime." I stalked out the room, leaving the girl sobbing uncontrollably. _Where are you when I need you, Gabrielle?_

_**Southern Comfort Bar - Stefan's P.O.V**_

Ray was sprawled on top of a pool table, he was bleeding from several places and was groaning fresh blood was dripping from his mouth, Klaus stood over him. "What are you going to do now?" Ray asked the hybrid.

"It's time for step two, Ray." Klaus told him and then snapped the werewolf's neck, he looked back at me when he was satisfied that Ray was dead. "You're back."

"Did you doubt me?" I asked him carefully.

"Not for a second. I knew you'd pass the test. You still care for your brother, for your old life." He stated simply.

"Nah, I don't care about anything anymore." I told him but Klaus grinned and shook his head.

"You put on a good show Stefan. I almost believe you. Lets hope, for your brother's sake, he does. You never stop caring about family, do you. But, every time you feed, the blood makes it easier to let go."

_**Salvatore Boarding House - Damon's P.O.V **_

It was hard to believe that a party had taken place her only a few hours before, I had to admit that Caroline had done a good job of tidying the place up. I couldn't get what Stefan had done earlier tonight out of my head, Andie's pleading for help still played over and over in my head. I sighed and reached for another drink, I was angry at Gabrielle for leaving me alone when Stefan had also left too, she didn't even come and say goodbye... Her car was still parked in the driveway; that was the thing that confused me the most, her bags were still upstairs and everything she had come here with had stayed whilst she had disappeared, it was strange and I didn't like to think that something bad had happened to her when she had left Mystic Falls. Elena got all strange and distant whenever I asked about where Gabrielle was going and why she didn't take her belongings, she always muttered something about 'bad memories for her' before walking off and ignoring me for an hour or two. I poured another glass and downed, trying to come to terms with Stefan's actions, I couldn't understand why he was acting out, why he didn't want to be saved... He was harsh to kill Andie right in front of me, but I wish he would come back and tell Elena to stop trying to find him, she was hellbent on dragging his ass home and setting him back on the straight and narrow. I felt bad about the way I had treated her tonight, she was still crying when she left the party tonight. i had pretended to ignore her but I felt awful for getting her so upset, she looked gorgeous tonight, when I gave her the birthday gift I thought she was going to kiss me again... And I had wanted to. Again. I sighed and shook my head: it was all so confusing.

_**Southern Comfort Bar - Ste**__**fan's P.O.V **_

I walked out in the night for some peace and quiet, pulling,out my phone and scrolling through the contacts, searching for the name. When I found it I dialled and waited patiently for it to pick up.

"Hello? Hello?" I stayed still and tears pooled in my eyes as I listened to her voice. "Stefan? Stefan, if this is you, you'll be okay. I love you Stefan. Hold onto that. Never let that go." I let out a silent sob and nodded at her words, she still thought that I could be,saved, and I loved her for it.

**Author's Note: Thank you for reading! Please review and tell me your thoughts, I'm sorry Gabrielle didn't get much of a storyline in this one but trust me, I have big plans ****for her character and I love writing her... **


	10. Chapter 10

**Author's Note:**** Chapter 10! Thank you for all those reviews from you Guests, I'm so happy I have 2'606 views on the story so far, keep them coming guys.**

**Once Upon A Time **

**Chapter 10**

_**Salvatore Boarding Hous**__**e - Damon's P.O.V **_

I was in my room ripping out Andie's clothes from the closet whilst I listened to the TV, there was a report about Andie's death on the news and I started taking her clothes from the closet faster, Elena walked in and I made a face. "You just can't stay away, can you?" I asked in a bored tone.

"You've been dodging my calls." Elena replied in an annoyed tone.

"Yeah well, busy dating dead fake girlfriend and all..." I told her coldly, I looked round and saw the look of unease on her face.

"Why didn't you tell me?" She asked quietly.

"Ok sure, lets see... Happy Birthday, Elena. Stefan killed Andie. Cake?" I mimed holding out a cake to her and her doe eyes narrowed worriedly.

"He called me, Damon." She held up her phone and looked at me, chewing her bottom lip slightly.

"What?"

"Stefan called me last night."

"Well, what'd he say?"

"He didn't say anything, but it was him. I asked Sheriff Forbes if she would trace the call's origin. It came from Tennessee."

"Where he's binge drinking on the country folk. We went through this, Elena. Stefan's gone. I don't mean geographically." I sighed at her and rolled my eyes.

"If he's gone, he wouldn't've called." The young brunette retorted stubbornly. I scoffed at her and picked up the box of matches at my desk, lighting one and throwing it on the contents of Andie's belongings.

_**Smoky Mountains - Tennessee - Stefan's P.O.V**_

I was silent as I followed Klaus through the dense forest on the lone mountains, carrying an unconscious Ray Sutton on my shoulder. "You ok? Ray getting heavy?" Klaus glanced mockingly back at me.

"I'm fine." I responded tersely, I was getting tired of his irritating British accent.

"You sure about that? You know, we've been walking for quite some time now. If you need some water or a little sit-down..." Amusement flashed in his blue eyes, I half smiled and sighed.

"You know, I get that we're, uh... we're stuck together, but if we could maybe just skip the chitchat, it'd be great." I gave a grimace and curtly replied.

"So much brooding. Your self-loathing is suffocating you, my friend." I stiffened a little but Klaus resumed walking, he was correct on his assumptions about my self loathing. I wanted to see her again, Elena still thought that there was hope for me and my... humanity.

"Maybe it's 'cause I'm a little tired of hunting werewolves. We've been at it all summer." I narrowed my eyes a little at him and the hybrid shrugged and his gaze fell onto the unconscious werewolf in my hold.

"Thanks to our pal Ray, we found ourselves a pack. There." Klaus pointed to a clearing beyond the trees and I saw a group of people walking around the clearing, tents were set up in various positions, a camp fire was set up in the central area of the campsite. Klaus and I entered the camp together and the people stopped at what they were doing and looked at Ray in my arms, I stepped forward and dropped Ray's limp form onto the ground. A young woman rushed forward and knelt down next to him, worry had painted itself onto her features, pity and guilt played with my feelings and I fought to hide a wince.

"Ray! Oh, my God. What's going on? Who are you?" Her eyes were wet with tears and I had to look away, Klaus stepped forward and joined me.

"The important question is 'who am I?' Please forgive the intrusion. My name is Klaus." I watched in awe as the woman's face slackened in fear at the recognition of the Original Hybrid's name.

"You're the hybrid." She whispered, the gathering people exchanged worried glances and I saw a smile flickered on the Klaus's face.

"You've heard of me," Klaus's smile widened, showing teeth as he crossed his arms in satisfaction. "Fantastic."

**_A Little While Later _**

Klaus and I were sat on a makeshift bench constructed from a fallen tree, the group of werewolves were regarding Klaus with wariness as the hybrid spoke to the group. "It's fascinating, actually... A werewolf who isn't beholden to the moon, a vampire who doesn't burn in the sun. A true hybrid." Ray Sutton gasps back to life on the floor behind us and Klaus grinned as everyone, including me, jumped in response. "Excellent timing, Ray. Very dramatic." He narrowed his eyes appreciatively as he glanced at the gasping man.

"What's happening to me?" Ray looked up at him with wild eyes and he shook in fear.

"Stefan." Klaus said my name simply, I sighed and followed his orders.

"Are any of you human? Your friend here needs human blood to complete his transition to vampire. If he doesn't get it, he will die." I looked at the group earnestly and I saw the people exchange glances.

"Doesn't take much, just a sip. Anyone? A boyfriend, a girlfriend, along for the ride?" I watched Klaus observe the group and I saw a few people's gazes flicker to a young man near the front of the crowd. "You." Klaus marrowed his eyes and rushed forward, grabbing the man's forearm he tugged him forward and as he did so his fangs lengthened and his eyes transformed as he bit into the man's lower arm. He threw the man over to me and I grasped him and threw him to the ground so he landed next to Ray. The woman who ran to Ray's aid earlier protested angrily at the hybrid, she stepped forward and Klaus brutally caught her by the throat, I looked down at Ray, who was staring at the bleeding boy's arm in shock.

"If you don't drink it, Ray, I will. Problem is I don't know how to stop." I sighed and threateningly let the veins beneath my eyes rise to the surface.

"It's the new order, sweetheart," I heard Klaus address the woman from behind me but I didn't look around, I kept my gaze fixed on the man's arm. I could hear the fluttering heart beat as the body struggled to maintain the sudden blood loss.

"I'd rather die than be a vampire." The woman spat at Klaus, I could tell Klaus was smiling as he responded.

"Wrong choice." I turned to see Klaus's wrist pressed onto the girl's mouth. I suddenly heard the sound of someone else drinking, and I turned back to the sight of Ray drinking from the bleeding young man. "You'll thank me for this later." I heard Klaus speak to the girl, there was a sickening snapping sound and then something fell to the floor behind me. "Ok, who's next?"

_**Somewhere in the Smoky Mountains - Damon's P.O.V**_

"I don't know why you think that you're a lost cause." I watched Elena tell Alaric from on top of a rock overlooking a lake, I rushed forward and pushed her into the water, she screamed as she fell into the water, I heard a click and saw Alaric training a crossbow at me. "Damon! How are you even here?" Elena called up to me with her arms crossed.

"Thanks for the tip brother." I told Alaric without looking around, Elena glared up at me and I smirked down at her. She then turned her fiery gaze to the history teacher.

"You sold me out?" She looked surprised and I rolled my eyes. _Teenagers_.

"You think I'd take you to a mountain range of werewolves on a full moon without backup?" Alaric shook his head and I nodded in agreement.

"Get out of the water, Elena."

"If I get out of the water, you're gonna make me go home." Elena shook her head, I looked back at Alaric and he shrugged, I sighed and looked back at the stubborn Gilbert.

"Because I'm not an idiot like you."

"Right now, you're both acting like idiots." Alaric drawled behind me and I edged a grin.

"You gave up on him, Damon." Elena ignored Alaric and pressed on.

"I didn't give up on him, Elena, I faced reality. Now get out of the water."

"No!"

What's your big plan, Elena? Huh? You gonna walk through a campsite full of werewolves, roast a marshmallow, and wait for Stefan to stop by?" I sighed and climbed into the water, striding towards her as if I wasn't walking in cold lakewater.

"My plan is to find him and help him. Damon, this is the closest that we've been to him since he left. I'm not going home."

"Klaus thinks you died when he broke the curse. That makes you safe. This, this is not safe." I told her, shuddering a little as I remembered my sister's last cries of pain as Klaus staked her.

"I'm not leaving before we find him." Elena told me, I looked at her for a long time before I answered her.

"It's a full moon tonight, Elena."

"Then we'll find him before then. Please, Damon."

"Ok. Ok. But we are out of here before the moon is full or I'm werewolf bait." I warned.

"I promise." Elena lowered her eyes.

"Unless you wanna relive that whole deathbed kissy thing..." I told her with a smirk.

"I said I promise." Elena raised her hands in defense and walked quickly away from me and to the bank where Alaric was stood watching the exchange quietly.

_**Stefan's P.O.V **_

I looked at Ray with a sick feeling in my stomach, blood slowly but surely dripped from his eyes and he was shaking uncontrollably. Ray's wild eyes searched frantically around the are of dead werewolves before his eyes landed on Klaus. "You said it was gonna feel better. Why doesn't it feel better?"

"Some master race." I couldn't help but smirk at the hybrid.

"Lose the attitude." Klaus snapped and I looked away, my eyes fell on the woman who had protested at Klaus earlier, she was slowly stirring from unconsciousness. "You, come feed your girlfriend." Klaus ordered the human, the boy nodded and made his way over to the groggy woman. Ray vigorously jumped up and ran off into the forest, Klaus sighed and I looked at him. "Go get him." He stated simply, I nodded and sped off after him, I found him a few meters into the treeline and I jumped on him, Ray snarled beneath me and I saw too late the yellow glowing eyes and angry dark veins, he bit my arm and I let go of him in shock. Ray jumps back up again and runs off again, I snarled and took a few steps after him until familiar voices reached my ears.

"How you doing?" It was Damon, I sighed. _Why doesn't he just give up._

"Fine." I froze when I heard Elena's voice, I let out a breath and walked over to the sound.

"You know, I could help you."

"No, thanks."

"Just one little fwoosh."

"Yeah, with my luck, you'd drop me."

"What are you guys, 12?" I smirked a little when I heard Alaric's voice and I walked in the direction of the voices a little faster, I could hear crunching footsteps now. I saw three people walking and I felt tears well up as I saw Elena.

"Where did he go?" Klaus's voice sound from behind me and I jumped and whirled, Klaus was leaning against a tree and I walked over quickly, trying to distract him from the sound of my old friends walking away.

"He, uh... he got away. Forget him. Let's go." I went to walk past him but his hand lashed out and grabbed my shoulder, he turned my arm over and saw the werewolf bite.

"A fatal werewolf bite. Ouch."

"Yeah. I'm gonna need your blood to heal me." I told him as I pulled my arm away slowly.

"Well, I tell you what. You find Ray, and then I'll heal you." I looked at Klaus's face to search the giveaway signs of lying, I went cold when I realized he wasn't.

"You can't be serious."

"You better hurry, because that bite looks nasty."

_**Damon's P.O.V**_

"We got about a mile left." Alaric told us, I looked up at the sky; the sun was setting and I kept glancing over at Elena, I knew she could tell I was looking at her but she ignored me.

"The sun's about to set." I said with a shrug of my shoulders.

"I can see that, Damon." Elena kept walking and I sighed.

"I'm just saying." I told her.

"The moon doesn't reach its apex for a while. We have time." Elena told me, I rolled my eyes but tilted my head when I heard some twigs snapping and I held up my hand, Alaric and Elena stopped walking and looked at me oddly, a man staggered out of the trees and I recoiled as I saw blood leaking from his eyes, Alaric aims his crossbow at the man.

"Stay where you are!" He told the man, the man's gaze focused on Alaric but quickly tore away and landed on me.

"Vampire." He said to me, I frowned and he rushed over to me, I caught him with a punch to his jaw but he seemed unaffected. He shoved me against a tree and I saw his face change, his eyes were glowing yellow and dark red veins spread out under his skin, long fangs descended in his mouth and I flinched as he tried to bite me. An arrow pierces the man's back but he didn't even blink, I dodged again as the man tried to bite me again.

"Damon!" Elena called over to me, she throws a small object and I strained my hand and caught it, I saw it was one of Alaric's wolfsbane grenades and I took the pin and smashed it against the man's face. He screams and I curl my face in disgust as I saw his skin sizzle and burn, my leg lashed out and I kicked the man's stomach, he falls to the ground unconscious and I wipe remnants of wolfsbane liquid from me.

"Let me guess. Hybrid." Alaric looked at me unenthusiastically.

_**A Little While Later** _

Alaric and I were tying the hybrid to the tree, he was still unconscious. "These ropes aren't gonna hold him much longer. What else do we have?" I asked, Elena was spraying the rest of the ropes with something and I guessed it was wolfsbane.

"Ric, here. Take these." Elena held the ropes out and I grabbed them but cried out as the ropes came into contact with my skin, dropping them to the ground and jumping back.

"I said Ric." Elena told me unsympathetically, I glared at her as Ric picks the rope up and ties it around the hybrid.

"All right, that's the last of the vervain. We don't have enough stuff to hold him. I don't think we're gonna make that Ridge before the full moon." Alaric looked at Elena but she shrugs.

"If we can get him to talk, we don't have to." Elena replied and we looked over to the hybrid, he was awake and blood had dried beneath his eyes, he looked at us and cried out as I saw his bones snapping and reshaping.

"Is he turning?" I asked in disbelief.

"It's impossible. It's still daylight." Elena looked up at the peach colored sky and pointed at the setting sun.

"Tell him that." Alaric nodded to the screaming hybrid, I sighed and walked over to him, placing my hands on his shoulders and securing him.

"There aren't supposed to be werewolves out here until the moon is full." Elena said from behind me, I glared at the hybrid's screaming face and stayed quiet.

"You know, those ropes aren't gonna hold the wolf." Alaric told us, the hybrid let out an animalistic growl and I heard Elena take a sharp breath.

"Damon, we've got to get out of here. We gotta get out of these mountains now! Damon, now!" I nodded once and we ran as fast as we could in the opposite direction, leaving the screaming hybrid behind. We ran for a few miles without stopping until Elena tripped and fell to the ground, I gulped as I saw something before her.

"Don't move." I told her, she raised her head and I saw fear creep onto her face as she came face to face with a snarling werewolf, I looked over at Ric but he was frozen with worry. I made a quick decision and with an inward sigh made a mocking whistle, "Here, doggie, doggie." I called and sped off into the trees, pushing myself faster as I heard the werewolf in close pursuit. I stopped running when I heard the wolf disappear behind me and I slowed down to a walk, inwardly cursing as I realized I had no idea where I had gone. I walked a little further and tried to retrace my steps, but stopped when I discovered it was hopeless, I tensed myself when I turned and saw the hybrid in human form, running towards me, his run was cut short when a hand appeared in his chest and his heart was ripped out, the hybrid fell and revealed my brother standing behind him.

"Fancy meeting you here." I said in a surprised tone, trying to make it seem like I had just happened to be walking out in a Tennessee mountain.

"What part of "don't follow me anymore" got lost in translation, Damon?" Stefan glared at me and I shrugged.

"Might want to take it up with your girlfriend. You don't want her chasing you, I'd stop with the late-night phone calls." I raised an eyebrow at him and I saw his eyes widen but he shook it off.

"I didn't call her." Stefan defended pointlessly.

"Sure you did. She's not gonna give up on you." I looked at him seriously.

"She has to. Because I'm never coming back. Why don't you get her home? See if you could keep her there this time." Stefan crossed his arms and I thought I saw him wince but I was too annoyed at him to care, Stefan turned and walked off into the woods.

"Wait! Stefan!" I called out to him, he sped off and I groaned and walked back out of the forest. I arrived at Alaric's car and thanked my luck that he had managed to talk some sense into her and drag her to the car.

"Damon!" Elena called out in relief and got out of the car and ran towards me, "Are you ok? Did you...?" She started checking my arms and I felt Stefan's stare from out of the woods and I pushed her away gently.

"Fine, bite-free. Get back in the car, please."

"Can you just give me a minute to appreciate that you're not dead?" Elena moaned and I rolled my eyes.

"I'll give you 10 seconds. 9, 8..." I grabbed her shoulders and pushed her in the direction of the 4x4, "Hey, Ric, did you happen to see where I parked my car?" I asked him, Alaric pointed somewhere along the road and I nodded my thanks.

"Damon, stop being such a caveman." Elena told me but got in the car, Alaric pulled away and I started off towards the direction where Alaric had pointed me in.

**_Stefan's P.O.V_**

I walked into the camp supporting Ray's corpse, I surveyed the carnage: dead bodies littered the ground and Klaus was stood in the middle near the dying campfire, his hands and shirt were covered in drying dark blood. "They went rabid. Some of them, I killed. The others just... Bled out. In the end... They're all dead." Klaus told me in a quiet voice, staring down at his hands, he suddenly yelled and I threw the body down and jumped a little, watching him intensely. "I did everything I was told! I should be able to turn them. I broke the curse. I killed a werewolf. I killed a vampire. I killed the doppelganger." Klaus whispered and I looked at him warily as his temper changed, ebbing and raging. "You look like hell." Klaus laughed at me shakily and I grinned awkwardly and showed him my arm.

"Last I checked, I'm dying... And you don't want to heal me. I had to take him out. I didn't have a choice. I failed you. I'm sorry. Do what you have to do."

"It should have worked." Klaus looked around at the corpses, he walks over to an ice box, the bottom half of it was painted in blood. Klaus pulls out a bottle of beer, smashing the top and drinking the contents, I stayed silent as I watched him drain the bottle. When he was finished he bit his wrist and held it over the bottle, he walked up to me and placed it in my open palm.

"Bottoms up. We're leaving. It appears you're the only comrade I have left." I nodded my thanks and Klaus grinned and walked away, I drained the bottle, feeling the wound on my arm heal and instantly I felt better. Throwing the bottle aside, I followed after the hybrid.

_**The Gilbert Household - Damon's P.O.V **_

I lay on Elena's bed waiting for her to come out her bathroom, the door opened and she stopped and looked at me tiredly. "Seriously?" She groaned and I smiled at her.

"I was wrong." I admitted.

"Are you drunk?" Elena looked at me confused and I faked a look of hurt.

"Not yet. I thought Stefan was gone, but I was wrong." I repeated, looking up at the white-washed walls.

"You saw him out there? Damon, is he ok?" Elena pleaded me and I sighed and rolled my eyes.

"No, he's not ok, Elena. He's an insufferable martyr that needs his ass kicked... But he can be saved." It was irritating watching the hope blossom on her face from news about my brother. Elena moved towards her bed and starts tugging at the covers, hinting at me to get off but I didn't. With a dramatic sigh, she pulled off her side of the covers and crawled into bed, settling in before facing me.

"What happened out there? What changed your mind?" She asked in a soft voice.

"I changed my mind because even in his darkest place, my brother still can't let me die. So I figure I owe him the same in return. I'll help you bring him back." I told her, she smiled and I felt a warm, unfamiliar feeling shoot through me as I looked into her doe eyes.

"Thank you."

"But before I do, I need you to answer one question. What made you change your mind?"

"What do you mean?"

"You were so hellbent on staying on that mountain, then you just gave up. So what changed your mind?" I repeated.

"We were under attack, Damon."

"You had a bag full of weapons and a teacher with an eternity ring. You could have kept going."

"It was too dangerous"

"It was too dangerous going out there to begin with, so what was it?"

"Why are you being like this?" Elena looked away from my questioning gaze, but I pressed on at her.

"What changed your mind, Elena?"

"I didn't want to see you get hurt, ok? I was... I was worried about you." Elena admitted and I sighed with happiness and got up from the bed.

"Thanks." I told her and went to leave but she called out to me.

"Yes, I worry about you. Why do you even have to hear me say it?" Her question stopped me in my tracks and I turned and gave her a serious stare, walking closer to her and gently touching her cheek, she blinked and I smiled.

"Because when I drag my brother from the edge and deliver him back to you, I want you to remember the things you felt while he was gone. Good night, Elena." My hand moved up and I stroked her hair and left the room, Alaric is at the top of the stairs with some suitcases.

"How's it going, Ric?" I asked him nonchalantly, he gaped at me and I gave him a small smirk before going downstairs and out of the door.

_**Mystic Fall's Cemetery - Damon's**** P.O.V**_

I sighed as I threw down the third empty bourbon bottle, it clinked against the others and I sighed as I looked at my sister's grave. "It must be so easy, you know. Being you." I told Gabrielle's gravestone. "You can just go wherever you want, whenever you please..." I laughed quietly and stumbled and fell to the ground, "You have no concerns, just... living your life." I ran a hand through my hair nervously. "I guess I just came here to tell you I'm... sorry I wasn't there to save you in time, but I'm glad I saved you this time." I pulled myself up and staggered away, but stopped when I heard a faint knocking sound. I slowly turned and strained my ears, the knocking sound continued and I looked at the ground... "No. Way." I whispered and pulled out my phone, going through the contacts, I paused at Elena's but remembered what she had told me about Gabrielle's whereabouts. Nothing. I scrolled passed Elena's name angrily and called Alaric, it rung several times before he picked up.

"Damon, seriously? Do you know what time it is?" Alaric's sleepy voice sounded on the other end.

"Ric, come to the cemetery. Bring a shovel." I told him hastily as I heard the knocking continue.

"Damon? What are you doing in the cemetery?" Alaric's voice sounded more aware now, and he sounded confused.

"No time, just bring shovels, ok? Don't tell Elena. I don't want to speak to her." I hung up before the history teacher could reply and I felt myself sober up a little as I paced the area around my sister's grave urgently. I sighed as a beam of headlights parked in the cemetery's car park and I saw Alaric walking over holding two shovels. "You came, thank god." I sighed and took one of the shovels and started digging up the ground.

"Damon... what are you doing?" Alaric sounded unsure from behind me, I didn't stop digging but I replied to his question.

"I'm digging her out, something I should have done a long time ago." I told Alaric simply.

"You're digging... Gabrielle? Seriously, Damon? I can't believe I have to be the one to tell you this... she's dead."

"I'm tired of you all saying that! She's not, ok? I saved her, I know I did." I stopped digging and Alaric sighed and shook his head.

"Damon, you have to stop this, it's unhealthy. She wouldn't have wanted you to do this, trust me." Alaric looked at me pityingly and I sighed and held up a hand for silence.

"Right, Alaric - listen, can you hear that." I was quiet and Alaric narrowed his eyes, the tapping noise was muffled but it was there. The history teacher's face paled and his eyes bulged.

"Oh, god." Alaric whispered, I nodded and started digging again, Alaric started helping me. "Wait... I don't get it, I thought Gabrielle was staked by Klaus in the ritual." Alaric broke the silence and I gave him a sad smile.

"Yeah, when I was bitten by a werewolf I wasn't allowed to take her place... so I thought I could do something better - I got Bonnie to cast a spell to preserve her life, making the poison in my system all the more powerful, that's why I was dying so quickly." I explained as we dug deeper into the grave.

The sky was a light violet when Alaric's shovel made a weird noise when he went to take another dirt pile from the hole, he looked at me strangely and I started scraping at the dirt sideways, I put the soil at one end of the hole and revealed a wooden coffin, the tapping had stopped a while ago but I knew she was there. Alaric climbed out of the hole and I stooped and picked up the coffin, holding it in one hand as I followed Ric from the hole. He sat panting on the grass as I lay the coffin on the ground, I picked up a discarded shovel and carefully lined it up with the lid. With applied force I slammed the shovel blade into the coffin and the side split, I threw the shovel down and wrenched it open, my sister lay in the coffin, her eyes weakly blinking and her skin deathly pale. Alaric stood up and gasped at Gabrielle's skeletal body, she looked up at me as I gently stooped and picked her up. "It's ok, I got you." I whispered into her hair as I carried her to my car, Alaric followed close behind but didn't join me when I got into the vehicle.

"I'm going back to the house, Jenna will be worried if she wakes and just see's that I'm gone, and Elena will be..." He trailed off when he saw my eyes narrow at the mentioning of her name.

"See you later." I told him in a monotone voice and sped away back to the Boarding House, leaving Alaric to clear up the mess.

**Author's Note****:**** Thank you so much for the reviews, it's fairly late so I think I'll be off now, I'll update soon!**

**Oh, and if Lazza's reading this: I'm going to watch MIC without you :) **

**-Blue-Eyed AngelGirl**


	11. Chapter 11 Part 1

Author's** Note:**** Thank you to the Guest(s) and goodnight raggedy man for reviewing! I've decided to split this Chapter because its going to be fairly long, I may split future chapters too.**

**Once Upon A Time**

**Chapter 11 Part 1**

**_Mystic Falls Cemetery - Gabrielle's P.O.V_**

I weakly blinked at the bright violet sky, my breathing was shallow and ragged, my brother appeared in my line of sight in slow motion. _I must be hallucinating again_. I thought to myself as I looked into Damon's ice blue eyes as he carefully picked me up, "It's ok, I got you." He whispered into my hair and I just closed my eyes and willed the fantasy to go away...

_**Salvatore Boarding House - Gabrielle's P.O.V**_

...I opened my eyes and saw a blurred figure walking towards me holding something, I groaned weakly as I saw it was a blood bag, turning my head away from it and shifting on the sofa which I was laying on, "No..." I whispered weakly and I forced my eyelids to open and look at the figure, it was Damon again. "Stop it, just leave me alone." I said to the figment of my imagination, it all looked so _so_ real. Damon's eyes narrowed in confusion and he tilted his head and ripped the blood bag open, his other hand reached towards me and tilted my chin towards him, I tried to fight it but I was too weak, even for my hallucinations.

"Hey, Gabrielle, here. Drink up, you'll feel better." Damon told me with a pleading look, I blinked and lightly shook my head and closed my eyes, I wasn't falling for this rescue scenario again.

"Not real." I muttered and leaned back again, falling onto the sofa weakly.

"What? Gabrielle? Hey!" I felt the sofa cushion next to me sink softly and I opened my eyes again, hoping I'd be back in the harsh reality. I wasn't. Damon was still there, the blood bag still in his hand. "I am real, trust me."

"You said that last time." I murmured and looked deep into his blurred face, his face was contorted with worry and he reached out and the blood bag brushed against my lips, the smell rushed into my senses and I gasped in pain as the veins rushed under my eyes and I shrank back away from it. "Leave me alone!" I cried weakly and let out a shuddering breath as I tried to fight against the hunger.

"I'm not losing my brother and my sister." Damon said, almost to himself and I saw his hand reach out again, my arms felt like lead and I couldn't lift them anymore to prevent the hallucination from turning into a nightmare, the blood bag reached my lips and I scrunched my eyes up in pain as I felt the veins appear again, a hand snaked to the back of my head and supported it as the blood bag tilted back and the blood ran down my throat. I expected myself to wake up and blinked in surprise as I didn't, the bag was soon finished and I coughed weakly, but feeling a little stronger. Damon was smiling warmly as he put the empty bag back down, I stared at him carefully, waiting for his face to morph into someone else's or attack me, I coughed again and Damon blurred from the couch, he was still in slow motion and it was making me feel weird, he came back and was holding an armful of blood bags, he opened the first one and slowly moved it towards my mouth. I drank the blood bag quickly with my eyes kept on him carefully.

I had finished several blood bags and was sat up on the sofa hugging my knees and my shoulders hunched, my hair curtaining my face, Damon had gone down to the basement to get more blood bags, but I wanted to get out, I wanted to remember the feeling of _fresh _blood before I woke up again. I got up from the sofa quietly and walked towards the door, looking wildly around to see if Stefan or Damon would see me, I reached the door and slipped out quietly. The sun was rising in the sky as I made my way down the patio steps and I breathed the fresh air, this hallucination was definitely more cruel than my previous imaginations, with one look at the house I sped off towards Mystic Falls.

_**Salvatore Boarding House - Damon's P.O.V **_

I set my sister down on the sofa and went off to fetch a blood bag, I was scared for her, I'd never seen her so frail and... weak. She had fallen unconscious when I had carried her back to the house but her eyes were open when I had returned holding the blood. I saw her eyes roll down to the bag in my hand and she groaned feebly and turned her head away from the sight of it, her bony arms moved up to her face, as if to shield herself away from the sight of the blood. "No..." She whispered weakly and her eyelids cracked open weakly, "Stop it, just leave me alone." She whispered quietly, I looked at her confusedly and tilted myself as I ripped the blood bag open when I reached her, I reached out with my left hand and gently tilted her skeletal chin up and angled it carefully towards me. She tried to fight against it but her strength had diminished to almost nothing, _Elena _was stronger than her at this point.

"Hey, Gabrielle, here. Drink up, you'll feel better." I told her and looked at her pleadingly, she blinked once with her dark blue eyes and shook her head weakly.

"Not real." She whispered and I frowned again. _Did she just say "Not real."?_

"What? Gabrielle? Hey!" I called her name as I sat on the sofa next to her, she opened her eyes again and actually looked... disappointed that I was still there, as if she hoped that I had vanished. _She must be hallucinating._ It was the only logical explanation that I could come up with to answer why my sister was acting like this. "I am real, trust me." I assured her with a gentle tone, looking at her earnestly.

"You said that last time." She muttered and studied my face, I looked at her worriedly and made a quick decision, I reached out and the blood bag brushed against her dry, pale lips. She gasped when the veins appeared under eyes and she jerked away, "Leave me alone!" She shuddered as she moved away from me, her red eyes wide with fear and longing as they shifted between me and the blood bag, I hated the lack of recognition in her eyes when they finally fell upon me.

"I'm not losing my brother and my sister." I muttered quietly to myself, with steely determination I pushed the bag up to her lips again, her eyes widened again as they turned red as the blood rushed up to her mouth, she fell back weakly and before she fell I reached over with my other hand and supported her head she blinked in surprise as she carefully took a sip on her own, blinking in surprise as she did. When she had emptied the bag she was coughing weakly, but she looked less starved.

I left Gabrielle on the sofa after she had finished several bags, she still lookedgale and underfed but was managing to sit up by herself, her legs were pressed together and her bony hands were pressed onto her knees. She sat with her head bowehand her shoulders hunched, her long wavy blonde hair covered her pale cheeks, I reached the fridge and opened it, cold air seeped out and I looked at the contents; there were only a few bags left, I'd have to break into the blood bank at some point in the future, I gathered the last remeaning bags and walked back upstairs to the living room and gasped when I saw the room was empty, she had gone. _Damn. _

**_Mystic Falls - Gabrielle's P.O.V_**

I came to a clumsy stop outside of the Grill, I staggered and hit the wall in the alleyway next to the bar. Breathing loudly my hand moving up the wall, feeling the rough brickwork beneath my palm, this dream was all so... Vivid. I sank to my knees and shut my eyes, trying to will myself awake, I bowed my head and rested my forehead on my knees. "Hey, drunk girl, are you ok?" I opened my eyes and peaked through my hair and saw a pair of feet, I glanced up and saw a familiar face.

"Matt." I smiled weakly, even though he couldn't see my face.

"Errr, sorry I don't... Who are you?" I could hear the frown in his voice and I sighed and used the wall to stand, I swayed and fell but Matt caught me. "Woah! Easy there." Matt said and I laughed weakly! Still concealed beneath my matted blonde locks, Matt's hand peeled back the blonde curtain and his frowning light eyes met mine, they widened and he gasped and let go of me and I dropped to the floor.

"Owww..." I groaned and hugged my arms in pain, Matt backed away from me with terrified eyes until he was pressed up against a wall.

"Yo-you're dead." Matt stuttered and I gave him a sad smile and yawned.

"And you're not real, I'm going to torture myself further and feed, wake up and you won't even know what happened." I told him and stood up using the wall, only this time I clung onto the wall so I wouldn't fall. Matt looked at me with a confused look, his eyes narrowing in thought until he shook his head.

"What are you talking about?" Matt asked me with cautious blue eyes. I just shook my head and laughed.

"It's fine. It's fine." I muttered and pushed myself off of the wall, staggering over to Matt before leaning on him for support, he looked at me calculatingly and I could hear the tantalizing sound of the pulsing of blood racing in his veins.

"I'm gonna call Damon, ok? I mean, no offence but you died months ago... You shouldn't even be here." Matt told me and took something from his pocket and flicked it on, the artificial light shone into Matt's face and I watched him read the screen, his head turned and his neck was exposed to me. I took a deep breath and felt my fangs lengthen, I moved my arms and hugged him, my breath in his ear. I could hear his pulse tapping on the side of his neck and I leaned in and swiftly bit into his neck, Matt froze and his heart beat quicker in my ears, making the blood pump faster. The warm blood fell down my throat and I sighed in happiness: this was definitely the best dream I had conjured up.

Strong hands grasped my shoulders and I was plucked from Matt's neck and shoved against a wall, blood dripping down my chin. "What are you doing here?" I looked up and saw Damon's cold eyes looking down at me, stress laced his voice. I licked my lips and my eyes flickered over to Matt, he was laying on the floor, unconscious. "Hey! Look at me." Damon shook my shoulders and my eyes snapped back to his in a daze.

"You needn't worry about me, Damon? I've had my fill anyway, I just wanted to remember what... Fresh blood tasted like before I woke up in reality. Which, to me, is in a coffin." I sighed sadly and Damon's stern eyes warmed up and he shook his head.

"This _is_ real, Gabrielle, don't you remember? I did something I should have done for you months ago. I saved you." He looked at me as if I was mad, and I looked back at him with a similar expression.

"This isn't right... Don't say that! You're not supposed to say that!" I pushed him away and staggered back, clutching my head "Just wake up, please! I don't like this anymore! Please just wake up!" Tears pooled at my eyes and I went rigid when my back hit a wall, a hand was grasping my wrist gently and tugging, I looked at my brother and glared at him, anger boiling in my veins. "Let go of me." I hissed at him, "You're not real, Damon. The _real_ Damon would have saved me months ago, the _real_ Stefan would be there to comfort me." I choked out as I wrenched myself from his grip whilst the first few tears streamed from my eyes.

"It's ok, Gabrielle, just calm down. I'll get you home, let's just-."

"No! No, no, no I don't want to! Just leave me, please! I want to wake up now." I sobbed and my hands flew up to my head.

"Ok, ok. Just hold still..." I felt a sharp pinprick and gasped in surprise, Damon's hand was holding a needle, and my vision was starting to darken.

"Why... Did... You... Do-." I didn't get to finish, the last thing I felt was my kmees buckling and giving way to the floor.

**_Salvatore Boarding House - Gabrielle's P.O.V_**

I awoke with a sense of deja vu as I recognised the gloomy surroundings of the boarding house cellar, I lazily moved my hand and weakly stood up, I swayed and fell to the right, using my hands to catch myself as I slammed painfully into the wall. "Owww..." I moaned and studied my palms, the rough brickwork had grazed my palms, I watched as the torn skin started to heal itself.

"Hey, Gabrielle..?" I heard a familiar voice and I turned my head slowly, squinting in the half light. A girl stood there with straight chocolate hair, she was wearing a long sleeved top and a leather jacket and her dark eyes were wary and fearful. I tried to piece the memories together, my eyes still narrowed at her until I realized who it was.

"Katherine." I said and glared at her, with my last dregs of strength I sped towards her, but tripped at the last step and collided with the iron door, she took a step back and shook her head, hands raised in surrender.

"No, no! It's me, Elena...remember?" The girl's eyes bore into me and I struggled to figure it out.

"What?" I tilted my head and looked into her terrified brown eyes, then fell to the floor and clutched my head, "I'm so confused. I-I think I r-r-remember but I'm not sure..." I murmered, I squeezed my eyes shut and struggled to tie the vague memories in my mind together. I remembered fire, and someone crying, then screaming... "I'm meant to be dead." I whispered and my hand went over to where my heart was on my chest, I looked up at the girl with shining eyes, "Klaus... He killed me! A-and you! You were there. And then there was the dark... The coffin?" My fists clemched and unclenched as I remembered the night I was sacrificed, and my peircing screams in the lonliness of the coffin, the girl, Elena, bit her lip and walked away. I ran my hands through my hair and and a cry of husteria broke past my lips, Elena came back and threw something through the bars of the cage and it landed on the floor beside me. I worked out what it was and snatched it up from the ground, tearing it open and drinking hungrily from it, I glimpsed Elena look at me with a sickened smile but I didn't care, I sighed as I threw the empty bag down and looked at Elena. "More, I need more." I whispered.

_**Salvatore Boarding House - Damon's P.O.V**_

I buttoned up the clean shirt I had decided to throw on as me and Elena were going to road trip it to Chicago. "Elena?" I called out her name when I saw the living room was empty, but frowned when I saw the door leading to the basement was ajar. "No. No. No, no, no." I murmered and ran towards the basement, i sped down the stairs and glared at Elena. "Elena? What are you doing down here all..." I grabbed her arms and followed her gaze through the iron bars of the door, Gabrielle was sat on the floor next to a pile of drained blood bags. "Alone." I finished in a shocked tone, Gabrielle smiled up at me and I felt so relieved to see that she was no longer pale and skeletal, and of course mad and hallucinating.

"You know, I think I spend too much time in this cell." My sister drawled as she stood up, she was still wearing the blue skirt and top from the night she died, there was blood staining the front and a hole over the upper torso area. I laughed at the comment and shrugged.

"Well, you know... You went on a crave-induced rampage and tried to kill Matt. Again." I smirked at her and she giggled for a moment then a wave of annoyance passed through her features.

"Matt..? I swear he just can't die!" She groaned and I laughed, Elena hit me lightly on the arm.

"Hey, don't be harsh, Damon!" Elena scolded me for laughing, there was a moment of silence until Gabrielle heaved a fake yawn.

"Well, I'd love to stay and chat, but I've got bags of clothes in my car that need putting away, and I need to have a shower and change into a top that preferably doesn't have a hole in the front of it where Klaus drove a stake through it..." She looked away, biting her lower lip awkwardly, I sighed and stepped forward, slowly easing the bolt from the door. "You couldn't have done this any slower, Damon." Gabrielle groaned and I shrugged and looked into her dark eyes with a mischievous grin.

"Well, if you're challenging me then I guess I'll just..." I slammed the bolt locked and laughed as I went down to eyeline and, millimeter by millimeter, I edged the bolt out of the lock.

"Ok!Ok! I'm sorry, I take it back! Just hurry up I'm _dying_ in here." I snickered at her melodramatics and unlocked the door quickly and she stepped out, her feet were bare and her toenails were painted a dark purple. "You're right, where _are_ my shoes?" Gabrielle noticed me looking and I looked up and shrugged.

"They're just in the car, they were really annoying me. I mean, who wears blue heels that big?" I asked her, Elena sighed irritably and rolled her eyes, whilst my sister's eyes narrowed.

"Wow... You really _don't _know anything about girls, do you? How do you _ever_ get a girl?" Gabrielle asked with her head tilted in confusion, Elena burst out laughing and a small grin appeared on my sister's face, I frowned at them both.

"For your information, ladies. I have had _plenty_ of-."

"Yeah yeah, I _do not_ want to know about my brother's private life." Gabrielle held her hand up as she padded out the room and up the stairs, Elena smirked and followed but I grabbed her arm.

"I haven't told her about how you lied to me about her... Something tells me you don't want me to either." I threatened in a low voice, Elena glared at me and nodded, not saying a word. "Good, so _don't ever lie to me again_. Understand?" She nodded and I broke into a cheery grin and left her down in the basement alone.

When I entered the living room Gabrielle was coming down the stairs, she had donned a pair of dark jeans and a simple dark purple top, she was holding a small bag in one hand and was carrying a mirror in the other. "So," She said when her gaze landed on me, "What's on the agenda today?" She asked and set down the bag and the mirror.

"Gabrielle..." I sighed and shook my head, "Something's happened to Stefan."

_**Somewhere on the way to Chicago - Gabrielle's P.O.V**_

I stayed quiet in the back of the car as Damon, Elena and I drove up to Chicago to rescue Stefan, I hadn't spoken a word since Damon had told me about Stefan's demise. I kind of felt it was my fault: if I hadn't had been attacked by Tyler the night of the ritual, then Damon wouldn't have tried to save me, and Stefan would still be here. I sighed and looked out the window, watching open fields and lone houses pass by at an alarming speed. "I sure hope we find him, 'cause it would suck if the last momento of Stefan was that crappy old necklace." Damon broke the silence with a mean joke, frowned at him and looked at Elena, she touched the silver necklace around her neck and looked at my brother.

"It's an antique, Damon. Just like you." Elena retorted and I laughed, since our talk and shared death experience, me and Elena had started to get on well. I could clearly see that she wasn't anything like Katherine was. Damon reached to the back seat next to me and picked up an old, dark book. I saw a silver S on the front and narrowed my eyes: it was Stefan's journal.

"Read this," He told Elena and handed it to her, "It paints a pretty little picture of Stefan's first experience in Chicago." Damon explained and I shook my head at him.

"Are you sure you wanna read that?" I touched the girl's shoulder and she looked back at me, "I mean, you don't have to read it if you don't want to." I told her, she nodded and looked at Damon.

"She's right, Damon. I'm not reading this, it's Stefan's diary. I'm not going to invade his private thoughts." Elena said firmly, I smiled in agreement but Damon shrugged.

"You need to be prepared for what you're about to see. I'm just trying to help." Damon told Elena, she frowned in doubt and shook head again.

"I've seen Stefan in his darkest periods. I can handle it." Elena told Damon, I looked impressed at her and saw the steely determination in her eyes. Damon sighs and takes one hand from the steering wheel and takes the journal from Elena's lap, he opens it and starts to browse the book.

"Here's one. March 12 1922." He pointed to a date and a large paragraph. "I have blacked out days, I wake up in strangers' blood in places I don't recognize and women I don't remember." Damon's voice imitated Stefan's and I rolled my eyes at his pettiness. "I'm shocked! Stefan's not a virgin?" Damon asks and I couldn't help but snigger in the backseat.

"Eyes on the road, grandma." Elena scolded him and snatched the diary from him

"Fine. Back to my game, tell me when you see a Florida plate." Damon said but I ignored him and looked over to Elena, I saw her brow furrow when she started reading from the leather bound book.

**End of Part 1**

**Author's Note:** **I hope you enjoyed this part, please tell me in the reviews!**


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